STATE OF MICHIGAN CHAPTER II. GEOLOGICAL FACTORS MICHIGAN GEOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SURVEY CONTROLLING THE OCCURRENCE OF OIL AND GAS...... 12 Publication 14. Geological Series 11. THE ANTICLINAL THEORY...... 12 THE OCCURRENCE OF OIL AND GAS IN ROCK PRESSURE IN GAS AND OIL WELLS...... 17 MICHIGAN Cause of Rock Pressure...... 17 SURFACE INDICATIONS...... 19 By Richard A. Smith CHAPTER III. THE PORT HURON FIELD...... 19 Published as a part of the Annual Report of the Board of EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT...... 19 Geological and Biological Survey for 1912. GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN WESTERN ONTARIO...... 20 Lansing, Michigan The Petrolia Field ...... 21 Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford Co., State Printers Sarnia Township...... 21 1914 Courtright...... 22 EXPLORATIONS IN THE PORT HURON FIELD...... 22 Port Huron ...... 22 Contents Marysville...... 23 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL...... 2 Wadham's Station...... 24 Abbotsford ...... 24 INTRODUCTION...... 4 Valley Center ...... 24 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...... 5 Imlay City...... 24 CHAPTER I. THE MICHIGAN BASIN...... 5 Fort Gratiot Township...... 25 THE PORT HURON ANTICLINE...... 25 MAJOR STRUCTURE...... 5 THE OIL HORIZONS...... 25 MINOR STRUCTURES...... 6 Conclusions ...... 25 THE GEOLOGICAL SECTION...... 6 HURON AND SANILAC COUNTIES...... 25 CAMBRIAN...... 6 The early salt wells ...... 25 Lake Superior, Eastern or Jacobsville sandstone...... 6 The Geological Sections...... 26 ORDOVICIAN...... 7 Calciferous, Lower Magnesian ...... 7 CHAPTER IV. THE SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT...... 26 St. Peters...... 7 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT...... 26 Trenton Limestone ...... 7 Utica Shale ...... 7 ROCK STRUCTURES...... 26 Lorraine or Maysville ...... 7 RELATION OF SURFACE SIGNS TO OIL AND GAS SILURIAN...... 8 HORIZONS...... 26 Richmond and Medina ...... 8 MONROE COUNTY...... 27 Clinton ...... 8 Monroe...... 27 Rochester Shale...... 8 Strasburg ...... 28 The Niagara Limestone. (Guelph and Lockport.)...... 8 Salina ...... 8 Milan ...... 29 Monroe Formation ...... 9 Newport ...... 30 Lower Monroe or Bass Island Series...... 9 Ida...... 30 Sylvania. Middle Monroe ...... 9 Riga ...... 30 Upper Monroe or Detroit River Series ...... 9 South Rockwood ...... 30 DEVONIAN...... 9 LENAWEE COUNTY...... 30 Dundee (Corniferous) limestone...... 9 Adrian ...... 30 Traverse (Hamilton and Marcellus) Formation ...... 9 Britton ...... 31 Antrim Shale...... 10 MISSISSIPPIAN...... 10 Blissfield...... 31 Berea Sandstone...... 10 Manchester...... 31 Coldwater Shale ...... 10 Madison Township...... 31 Marshall Sandstone. Napoleon or Upper Marshall and HILLSDALE COUNTY...... 32 Lower Marshall ...... 10 Hillsdale ...... 32 Michigan Series or Lower Grand Rapids...... 11 Osseo ...... 32 Bay Port Limestone or Maxville. Upper Grand Rapids WAYNE COUNTY...... 32 ...... 11 PENNSYLVANIAN...... 11 Trenton ...... 32 Parma Sandstone or Conglomerate ...... 11 Grosse Isle ...... 33 Saginaw Formation ...... 11 Romulus Township ...... 33 POSSIBLY PERMO-CARBONIFEROUS...... 11 Wyandotte ...... 34 Woodville...... 11 Delray ...... 34 PLEISTOCENE...... 12 River Rouge...... 34 Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 1 of 49 Oakwood...... 34 Illustrations Fort Wayne ...... 36 Detroit ...... 37 North Detroit...... 37 Plates Eloise ...... 37 Plate I. Pumping plant of the Michigan Development LOCAL STRUCTURES IN SOUTHEASTERN Company, Port Huron...... 22 MICHIGAN...... 37 Plate II. The Garey-Casamer No. 1 Well, Saginaw...... 44 Wyandotte Anticline ...... 37 Stony Island Anticline...... 38 WASHTENAW COUNTY...... 38 Figures Ypsilanti ...... 38 Figure 1. Diagrammatic cross section of the Michigan Basin Ann Arbor...... 38 from Port Rowan, Ontario to Manistee, Michigan...... 6 OAKLAND COUNTY...... 39 Figure 2. Outline geological map of Michigan showing Royal Oak ...... 39 Paleozoic formations and the location of deep borings. ...7 Mutual Oil & Gas Company's Well, Royal Oak...... 39 Pontiac ...... 39 Figure 3. Geological column of Michigan from the Calciferous South Lyon...... 40 to the Pleistocene (by A. C. Lane)...... 8 MACOMB COUNTY...... 40 Figure 4. Diagrammatic section of reservoirs showing ideal Mt. Clemens...... 40 relations of oil, gas, and water...... 15 New Baltimore...... 40 Figure 5. Diagrammatic section of the oil and gas sands in the Romeo ...... 40 central Appalachian oil region...... 15 ST. CLAIR COUNTY...... 41 Figure 6. Cross section of the saline dome of the Spindle Top Algonac ...... 41 oil field, Texas...... 16 Marine City...... 41 St. Clair ...... 41 Figure 7. Sketch showing forms of oil and gas reservoirs in shale...... 16 ONTARIO...... 43 Wallaceburg ...... 43 Figure 8. Sketch showing forms of oil reservoirs...... 16 LOCAL STRUCTURE IN MACOMB AND SOUTHERN Figure 9. Map showing the location of salt blocks and salt ST. CLAIR COUNTY...... 43 wells in Wayne county (after C. W. Cook.)...... 33 Conclusions ...... 43 Figure 10. Map showing the location of salt blocks and salt CHAPTER V. THE SAGINAW OIL FIELD...... 44 wells along St. Clair river (after C. W. Cook)...... 40 THE SAGINAW VALLEY DEVELOPMENT Figure 11. Map of the Saginaw Oil Field showing the location COMPANY...... 44 of borings, the Saginaw Anticline, and the contours of THE SAGINAW ANTICLINE...... 44 depth of the Marshall Sandstone below the surface in Saginaw Valley...... 45 THE EXPLORATIONS...... 44 Mundy-Fifield Well ...... 45 Figure 12. Sections of deep borings in Saginaw Valley...... 47 Garey-Casamer No. 1...... 45 Jackson-Church Well...... 45 Cresswell Well ...... 46 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. Watson Well...... 46 To the Honorable the Board of Geological and Biological Green Point Well...... 46 Survey of the State of Michigan: Lawndale Well...... 46 Garey-Casamer No. 2 Well...... 46 GOV. WOODBRIDGE N. FERRIS, President. Mershon Well ...... 47 HON. WM. J. MCKONE, Vice-President. Ring Well...... 47 HON. FRED L. KEELER, Secretary. Gera Well ...... 47 Gentlemen:— THE OIL HORIZONS...... 47 The Berea ...... 47 I have the honor to present herewith Publication 14, The “Saginaw Sand.” ...... 48 Geological Series 11, a monograph on the subject of the The Dundee ...... 48 occurrence of oil and gas in Michigan. The recent EXPLORATION...... 48 activity in drilling for oil and gas has not only stimulated Conclusions ...... 48 the issue of this volume but has also contributed directly CHARACTER AND COMPOSITION OF THE OILS. .. 48 to the information contained in it. Much of the data contained in this work is new, including the records of a The "Saginaw" Oil ...... 48 considerable number of important deep wells, but a large Dundee Oil ...... 49 part of it has been compiled from various sources. For many years the Southern Peninsula of Michigan has offered a tempting field for exploratory work designed to

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 2 of 49 test the possibilities for the occurrence of oil and gas. people in general through the medium of carefully Although with the minor exception of the Port Huron field prepared "literature" amply illustrated with pictures of all such efforts have resulted in a discouraging derricks, drilling outfits, views in the oil fields, gushers, monotony of disappointments; the activities of recent and perhaps a sketch showing the exact position of the years lends force to the observation that repeated "vein" or "pool" which is expected to be opened by the failures serve only to stimulate rather than to retard application of the stockholders' money if enough remains these adventurous projects. for the purpose after promotion charges have been carefully set aside. Lacking only the actual odor of crude The time is approaching if not actually at hand in most oil, which can hardly be transmitted by mail, these gems parts of this country, when valuable mineral deposits of persuasive advertising are calculated to produce an may be found no longer without the application of vast anticipation of realities which are doomed to materialize labor and expense to underground explorations of one or only in the imaginations of the investors. another kind. Surely this is true of the State of Michigan, and probably nowhere within our borders may success Among the numerous drilling operations of recent years attend the efforts of the prospector unaided by generous are a number which may be termed "community financial support. Any project devoted to the discovery projects." The incentive to these undertakings is a of valuable minerals must therefore be considered as a general desire for exact information relative to the purely financial adventure and this applies with peculiar formations and their contents coupled with a hope, not to force to explorations for oil and gas in Michigan. say expectation, of developing a valuable local resource. Such efforts should be encouraged, but only under a full It is trite to remark that a financial adventure should be realization of the relative probabilities for financial loss or preceded and controlled by a careful weighing of the gain on the part of those whose means are involved. possibilities for success. This is a moral as well as a None who can ill afford the risk of loss should be business responsibility which is particularly incumbent encouraged to enlist in these enterprises. on those who control the expenditure of the capital of a company, association, or corporation. Unfortunately this Those who engage permanently in the oil business responsibility has been so frequently violated through recognize the principle that the chances for loss are in fraudulent intent in some instances and ignorance in inverse ratio to the number of well advised separate others, that a warning should be sounded throughout the adventures embraced. A small amount of money staked state as a guard not only against fraudulent schemes of on a single, or a limited number of projects is almost promotion, but against that credulous class of so-called certain to be dissipated. On the other hand, a large “oil smellers" or " locators'' whose operations are no less amount of money involved in many separate and well fantastic than their claims to unusual or occult powers advised operations is almost equally certain to be are crass and audacious. The "oil smeller'' or "locator" is multiplied. To illustrate this principle, it may be remarked not always a calculating fakir. Among them are a few that a single well drilled in the most favorable locality in who seem to be honest but these present a curious Michigan would have only a very remote possibility of study of more interest to the psychologist than to the encountering oil in commercial quantity, but the drilling of geologist, and to the former they may be consigned one hundred wells in five favorable localities would stand without further remark. a very reasonable, though far from assured, chance of success. A thousand dollars invested in the latter The professional promotor, when guided by moral as enterprise would be a much sounder investment than the well as business sense, is a legitimate and oftentimes same amount invested in the former. It is the operation necessary factor in many modern financial and industrial of this principle which renders so extremely hazardous undertakings, but the element of mere luck or chance, an occasional investment in operations confined to a which the partial and oftentimes complete absence of single test well, or a single locality. determinative data in many localities must always leave open to the prospector, not only provides a cloak for The natural conditions governing the occurrence of oil rascality but also a basis for the play of credulous and gas are well known to geologists, but unfortunately imagination on which the unscrupulous promotor builds the geologic data in different regions or localities are his fortune. Men of sound judgment in matters of rarely so precise and determinate as to warrant general business, as well as others, continue to seek unqualified statements in the one or the other direction in pots of gold at the end of the rainbow, following those advance of exploration. There is a large area in whose sole claims to leadership reside in Michigan where oil or gas is not to be sought under any unscrupulousness, suave audacity, clever deceitfulness, circumstances because of the age and character of the and a smattering of technical jargon, meaningless to rocks. I refer to the copper and iron bearing region of themselves but nevertheless a bait for the unwary the Northern Peninsula; i. e., that part of the state layman. underlain by pre-Cambrian rocks. In a considerable part of the remainder of the State the occurrence of oil and As may be suspected, the promoter and the "locator" gas in commercial quantity is a possibility and in some often share -the work as well as the gains attaching to a localities a very reasonable probability. Common successful "fleecing" of a whole community. In many prudence would demand that the areas where the instances, their common solicitude for a wider conditions are known to be favorable should receive first distribution of prosperity invites a participation of the Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 3 of 49 attention through a fair and adequate test. Too quantities approaching commercial importance. The frequently, initial disappointments terminate a well known presence of oil formations, the many small conceived plan of exploration before conclusive results showing of oil and gas, and the abundance of oil and either positive or negative are obtained. Negative especially gas seepage in certain portions of the State, results are always ultimately if not immediately useful, however, have kept up a keen interest in the possibilities and, therefore, records of all explorations should be for the occurrence of oil and gas in larger quantities. carefully preserved. During the past three years especially, there has been a continuous demand on the part of the oil operators and It has been remarked above that the absence of ample the general public for information relative to the oil and and reliable data, from which the geologist may draw gas possibilities in Michigan, and fifty or more drilling sound conclusions, and the element of luck or chance operations have been made and projected. renders unsafe in many parts of Michigan any unqualified statement relative to the presence or A large part of the recent drillings were located with due absence of commercial quantities of oil or gas, but while regard to known geological conditions, but unfortunately the soundness of any calculation or conclusion must a considerable number of explorations were started always be governed largely by the fullness and reliability upon the most chimerical notions of geology, which is of the basal data, the lack of complete information need not surprising when it is considered that most of the not stay a conclusion or hypothesis on which to base explorations in Michigan have been made by operators expenditures in exploration. Indeed ultra conservatism from the oil fields of adjacent states. is rarely creative; it is desirable only to eliminate waste The data furnished by the many explorations of recent through ignorance or fraud and on the other hand to years has been published only in part. The object of this encourage and assist worthy projects for exploration. It report is to bring together all the available data relative to is with this double purpose in view that this volume has the occurrence of oil and gas in Michigan in such a form been presented to the public. If it accomplishes these as to make it effective in more intelligently directing purposes the care, labor, and expense which has been explorations. devoted to it will have been well repaid. The plan of the report embraces, (1) An outline of the Very respectfully yours, geology of the Paleozoic formations, (2) A brief R. C. ALLEN, discussion of the more prominent theories on the Director. accumulation of oil and gas, but more particularly of the June 18, 1914. anticlinal theory of accumulation, (3) A history of the explorations by districts or fields with the records of borings, (4) A discussion of the care and regulation of oil INTRODUCTION. and gas wells and an outline of needed legislation relative to deep borings, and (5) A brief statement of the In 1860, A. Winchell, published in the First Biennial possibilities of the black shales of Michigan as a source Report of the Geological Survey of Michigan a number of of oil and gas. records of deep borings and referred to the possibilities for the occurrence of oil in the eastern part of the State, The well records given in detail do not include all of the especially in the vicinity of Port Huron. Further records deep borings in the Paleozoic area. Many wells have of borings were given in Volume III by Dr. C. Rominger been drilled of which the Geologic Survey has no in a report on the geology of the Lower Peninsula of records, or only imperfect ones. At many places, several Michigan. In Volume V, Dr. A. C. Lane published a large borings have been closely spaced, and of these only the number of well sections with special reference to the more accurate records have been given, but whatever occurrence of oil and gas. The introduction, written by information the others afford has been included in the Dr. L. L. Hubbard, is a brief discussion of the origin of discussions preceding the records given. Most of the salt, gypsum, and petroleum. Brief chapters on oil and records have been revised, especially the older ones, to gas together with the records of many borings were bring them into harmony with present geologic published by Lane in the Annual Reports for 1901, 1903, knowledge. 1904, and 1908. The Mineral Resources for 1911, For convenience in discussing the history of the oil Publication 8, Geological Series 6, contains a short explorations, the state has been arbitrarily divided into chapter on the occurrence of oil and gas in Michigan. districts and fields. As there are no sharp lines of The above reports contain most of the published separation between any of these, some wells included in information with the exception of that to be found in the one district may have been placed with equal propriety in geological reports of the various counties. another. The territory in the vicinity of Saginaw and of Port Huron, properly parts of the central and Since Michigan lies adjacent to the oil and gas producing southeastern districts respectively, have been deemed territories of Ontario, Ohio, and Indiana, it has received worth of separate treatment as oil fields on account of for many years much attention from oil and gas the structural conditions and the large amount of operators. Many explorations have been made, but thus exploration made in each. far the results have been meager. Only at Port Huron, Allegan, and Saginaw have oil and gas been struck in Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 4 of 49 In all oil fields, there is always a greater or less number Stone, M. J. Munn, W. T. Griswold, H. S. Gale, R. of “dry” holes or wells of small production which are Arnold, C. W. Haves, Wm, Kennedy, C. H. Wegeman, abandoned. Usually the drillings pass through one or and others as found in the many bulletins published by more water or brine bearing formations and the “dry” the U. S. Geological Survey. holes and abandoned wells form a serious menace to The history of the drillings and the records have been the life and productivity of a field through the ingress of compiled from the several reports of the Michigan water into the oil sands. On the other hand, oil and gas Geological Survey, particularly Volumes V, VII, and VIII, wells are a source of danger to mining industries, but the Annual Reports for 1901, 1903, 1904, and 1908, and more especially to that of coal, through the escape of Publications 2, 12, and 15. Many of the records were gas into the mines with consequent explosion. So acute previously unpublished, or published only in part. In is the situation in some states that stringent laws have compiling these, much valuable information was been passed regulating the drilling and care of oil and obtained from the field notes of Dr. A. C. Lane and W. F. gas wells. Besides being a source of injury to oil fields Cooper. Special acknowledgment is hereby extended to and a menace to life and property in coal mining regions, the officials of the Saginaw Development Company for abandoned wells, in come cases, cause contamination their many courtesies and hearty co-operation in of potable water supplies through the entrance of salt carefully preserving sets of samples and compiling the water; or, vice versa, valuable brines or mineral waters information afforded by their drillings in the vicinity of may be polluted by surface or fresh waters. Saginaw. In Saginaw Valley and in the vicinity of Grand Rapids, Most of the information in Appendix A on the regulation the potable waters have been ruined through the ingress and care of deep borings has been obtained from of brines or mineral waters, and the purity and strength Bulletin 65 and Technical Paper 53 of the U. S. Bureau of the brines in the former district are now being of Mines. Much other data, however, has been gleaned menaced by the entrance of surface or fresh waters from the reports of the State geological surveys and of through abandoned salt wells, the casings of which have the State mine or oil and gas inspectors, particularly of been destroyed by the corrosive action of the brines. California, Oklahoma, Ohio, Indiana, and Wyoming. The regulation and care of oil and gas and other borings has become a subject of such importance to the State In the discussion of the commercial possibilities of the that a discussion of the methods and means of black or bituminous shales in Appendix B, much conserving oil and gas, water, and other mineral valuable information was obtained from the Summary resources has been included as an appendix to this Reports, and especially from the Joint Report on the report. Bituminous or Oil Shales of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and on the oil Shale Industry of Scotland by R. W. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Ells, Nos. 55 and 1107 of the Mines and Geological Survey Branches of the Department of Mines of Canada. The information contained in this report has been It is to be regretted that the writer did not have the compiled from so many sources that proper opportunity of reading the bulletin now in preparation by acknowledgment cannot be made to each of the the U. S. Geological Survey on the Oil Shales of Utah investigators whose works have been freely drawn upon. and Colorado. The outline of the geology of the Michigan Basin has been taken largely from the writings of A. C. Lane, C. Rominger, and A. Winchell. The stratigraphy of the CHAPTER I. THE MICHIGAN BASIN. formations has been compiled chiefly from Lane's Geological Section as published in the Annual Report for 1908. Much information on local geology has been MAJOR STRUCTURE. afforded by the reports on Huron and Alcona counties by The term, Michigan Basin, is applied to a broad, shallow A. C. Lane, on Monroe and Wayne counties by W. S. structural basin occupying part of western Ontario, the Sherzer, on Sanilac by C. H. Gordon, on Bay by W. F. eastern half of the Northern and the whole of the Cooper, on Tuscola by C. A. Davis, and on Arenac by Southern Peninsula of Michigan, eastern Wisconsin, W. M. Gregory. northeastern Illinois, northern Indiana, and northwestern The various bulletins of the U. S. Geological Survey and Ohio. Its average diameter is about 500 miles and the the State geological reports have been freely consulted deepest part appears to be near the geographical center for the material in the chapter on the accumulation of oil of the Southern Peninsula. The total depression of the and gas. The statement and the history of the lowermost Paleozoic formations at the center has been development of the anticlinal theory with particular variously estimated at from 5000 to 7000 feet. Recent reference to its practical application has been compiled drillings in the central part of the Basin favor the larger from the publications of I. C. White and E. Orton. figure. Much other information bearing upon the limitations of The Michigan Basin is a composite, comprising a series the anticlinal theory has been gleaned from the of sedimentary formations which form a gigantic nest of investigations of N. M. Fenneman, F. G. Clapp, R. W, very broad and extremely shallow warped basins whose diameters decrease regularly from the bottom upward Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 5 of 49 (Fig. 1.) Were the rims of these basins uncovered by the top of the Pennsylvanian. Exposures are numerous draining the lake basins and removing the glacial drift, in many localities, especially along the north and south they would form concentric belts about the central or shores of the Northern Peninsula, but, in areas of large uppermost formation (Fig. 2.) The depth of the Basin is extent in the Southern Peninsula, outcrops are entirely so small in comparison with its diameter that the wanting. In the Southern Peninsula, bed rock is exposed inclination of its several members is ordinarily between in two areas of considerable extent, one in Alpena and 25 and 50 feet per mile, and rarely exceeds 60 feet. Presque Isle counties, and the other in Hillsdale and southern Calhoun and Jackson counties. Scattered MINOR STRUCTURES. outcrops occur in an arcuate belt extending from Arenac county through Huron and Tuscola into Genesee county, The formations constituting the Michigan Basin are and from Jackson county through Calhoun into Ottawa locally gently folded and, in some cases, slightly faulted. and Kent counties. Limited but important outcrops also So far as known, the folds occur mainly near the margin occur along the south shore of Little Traverse Bay and in of the Southern Peninsula and in Western Ontario. Of Monroe and Wayne counties. In the greater part of the the anticlines or upward folds (Fig. 2), the six best State, however, the Paleozoic rocks are concealed by a developed ones in the Southern Peninsula are in the mantle of drift from 100 to 600 feet or more in thickness vicinity of Saginaw, Port Huron, Stony Island (Detroit and the knowledge of the structure, character, river), Wyandotte, Niles, and Khagashewing Point (Little distribution, and thickness of the different formations, Traverse Bay). A very low, broad and ill defined necessary for making a generalized section, has been anticline extends through Washtenaw county with its derived chiefly from a study of the records of borings. crest apparently near Ann Arbor. All of the anticlines, excepting those near Saginaw, Niles, and Ann Arbor, are relatively low and short. (See Chaps. IV, V and VII). Inconclusive evidence points to the probable existence of additional anticlines in the vicinity of New Baltimore, Macomb county, near Manistee, and near Fowlerville and Howell, Livingston county. A syncline of considerable length and depth occurs near Berrien Springs and Dowagiac in Berrien county and two or three small ones1 along Detroit river south of Detroit. Doubtless further drilling will reveal the presence of other anticlines and synclines of which there is now no indication.

In the vicinity of Allegan, there is a sudden change in the general northeastward dip of the strata, indicating the Figure 1. Diagrammatic cross section of the Michigan Basin presence of a terrace or structural "bench." Discordant from Port Rowan, Ontario to Manistee, Michigan. dips have been observed in several places in southeastern Michigan, in Huron, Alpena, and Presque Isle counties, and along the Lake Michigan and Lake CAMBRIAN. Huron shores of the Northern Peninsula. Lake Superior, Eastern or Jacobsville sandstone. The Numerous faults, generally with a displacement of a few Cambrian so far as known, is represented in Michigan by inches to a few feet, have been noted in the Coal the upper member only called the Lake Superior or Measures. However, the occurrence of two faults with Potsdam sandstone. Jacobsville (or "Eastern") is the displacements of 50 to 60 feet have been reported, one term applied to a similar sandstone along Keweenaw in the Coal Measures of Saginaw Valley, and the other in Bay though it is not certainly the equivalent of the Lake the Dundee limestone in Presque Isle county. The Superior sandstone east of Marquette. The Potsdam Monroe formation in southeastern Michigan and in the sandstone probably underlies the whole of the Michigan Northern Peninsula is characterized by peculiarly Basin. It outcrops at numerous points m the Northern brecciated dolomites. Drillings in the Manistee-Ludington Peninsula, especially along the Lake Superior shore salt district and in Presque Isle county indicate a wide from Marquette eastward to beyond Grand Portal, and it spread occurrence of this brecciation, the cause of which has been penetrated by drill holes in the southern part of may be related to movements due to the ablation of the the Peninsula In the Southern Peninsula, it is so deeply salt beds as noted in Chapter IX. buried that no borings have reached it. The formation is 1W. H. Sherzer: The Monroe Formation Pub. 2, Geol. Ser. 1, p. 57. composed mainly of fragments of quartz and feldspar and comprises an upper red member, locally mottled and streaked, and a lower one of lighter color. It varies THE GEOLOGICAL SECTION. much in thickness, from 1500 feet at Grand Marais to The rocks of the Michigan Basin represent the Paleozoic only about 200 and 300 feet at Rapid River and on succession from the base of the Upper Cambrian to near Neebish Island.

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 6 of 49 Bay de Noc, along Rapid and Whitefish reivers, and on St. Marys river. Wells have penetrated it at Manistique, Pickford, on Manitoulin island, and in western Ontario. In the Southern Peninsula it has been penetrated only in the southeastern part and at depths of over 1500 feet. It is a widespread formation and probably once extended over the whole of Wisconsin and Michigan, but later was eroded from the present pre-Cambrian areas. In the Northern Peninsula, it appears to be about 250 feet thick, though across the bay from Escanaba near Stonington it is over 270 feet thick. In the Southern Peninsula, its thickness is unknown. In the Northern Peninsula the Trenton has three phases, (1) an upper granular, crystalline, dolomitic limestone of alternating blue and brown layers terminating at the base in a dark or black bituminous limestone, (2) a middle portion of cherty layers or lenses alternating with thick beds of limestone and, (3) a basal member of blue shales and limestone, a part of the latter being black or dark. The sandy middle division and the lower blue shaly one appear to have a widespread distribution. The Trenton limestone is an important oil bearing formation in Ohio. In the outcrops near Rapid and Whitefish rivers in the Northern Peninsula, oil impregnates the rock and asphaltum gum fil’s fissures and cavities. In Monroe county (Chapter IV) nearly all of the drill holes penetrating this horizon yield a little oil and gas. In Ontario, however, where it has been penetrated at many places, it is apparently barren. Utica Shale. (Eden of Ohio). The Utica shale is very Figure 2. Outline geological map of Michigan showing black and bituminous and of fairly uniform thickness Paleozoic formations and the location of deep borings. which, however, varies from 50 feet in the Northern Peninsula to nearly 200 feet in the southeastern part of the Southern Peninsula. It is easily recognized, but ORDOVICIAN. drillers who are not familiar with it are apt to confuse it Calciferous, Lower Magnesian, (Prairie du Chien), with the equally black Antrim shales of the Devonian. Hermansville Limestone. The Calciferous outcrops in Lorraine or Maysville. The Utica and Lorraine shales are the Northern Peninsula on Calciferous creek, a branch of soft rock, and therefore easily eroded. They occupy low the Au Train river, and on St Mary's river near West ground extending through Green Bay and Little Bay de Neebish Rapids. This formation, or perhaps only the Noc and along the north side of the prominent lower part of it, is represented by the Hermansville escarpment of the Niagara limestone from Garden limestone. It is mainly white sandstone, limestone, and Peninsula to Drummond island. The Lorraine shale is sandy limestone. Its sandy phases resemble the St. generally calcareous and full of fossils. Its color is Peters and the whiter portions of the Potsdam, hence mainly blue but black streaks occur in it, especially the three formations are not readily separated in drill towards its base. The top of the formation is hard to samples. Wells along Green Bay indicate a thickness of distinguish from the Richmond and the Medina shales 200 to 250 feet. above, and its base from the Utica shale below. St. Peters. Exposures of the St. Peters sandstone are According to Lane, in the southern part of the state there not known in Michigan. Apparently it is about 75 feet are above the Trenton about 600 feet of shaly beds of thick at Marinette (Wis.), absent near Stonington and 18 which-he ascribes 200 feet to the Utica, 250 feet to the feet thick at Rapid River, but further east in the Northern Lorraine, and 150 feet to the Richmond and Medina. In Peninsula it has not been recognized. The formation is the northern part of the state the Lorraine is more very irregular in thickness and appears to fill hollows m variable in thickness, but it is apparently a very the eroded surface of the Calciferous. In the Southern persistent formation throughout the State. Peninsula it has not been penetrated. Trenton Limestone. The Trenton limestone outcrops at various places on the west side of Green Bay and Little

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 7 of 49 Rochester Shale. A blue shale horizon which, though persistent is never very thick (30 to 80 feet), occurs above the Clinton formation. In many places, it is absent. These blue shales have been correlated with the Rochester formation of New York but they may be a part of the Clinton. The Niagara Limestone. (Guelph and Lockport.) In the Upper Peninsula, the Niagara limestone forms an almost continuous belt of outcrops from the southern part of Garden Peninsula along the Lake Michigan and Lake Huron shores to the eastern point of Drummond island. The formation is composed of an upper whiter part called the Guelph dolomite, and a lower less white and uniform one, the Lockport. This formation as a whole is remarkably free from impurities, especially iron and clayey material and is composed dominantly of carbonates of calcium and magnesium with the exception of thin lenses and nodules of chert and occasional sandy beds. Dolomite predominates, though there are heavy beds of very pure limestone in the lower part. According to Lane, the extreme whiteness of the upper part, its occasional grains of sand, and beds of sandstone and chert are characteristic thoughout the State. Its thickness varies from 270 to 350 feet in the southern part of the Southern Peninsula to about 600 feet in the Northern Peninsula. The Niagara is an important producer of oil and gas in Ontario. The formation yields strong flows of fresh water or weak brine at one or more horizons. The mineralized waters or weak brines of the Niagara are characteristically Figure 3. Geological column of Michigan from the Calciferous different from the strong sulphate brines of the Monroe to the Pleistocene (by A. C. Lane). formation above. Salina. The Salina in southeastern Michigan is an SILURIAN. extremely variable formation composed of alternating layers of compact brown to drab dolomite, anhydrite Richmond and Medina. These formations represent the (partially converted into gypsum), and salt beds with transition from the blue shale of the Lorraine below to minor amounts of red, green, and rarely blue and black the red dolomitic beds of the Clinton above. They are shales, and dolomitic marls or oozes. It cannot always characterized by the prevalence o soft red shale, sandy be separated from the overlying Monroe Formation, in places and mixed here and there with green shale. because the salt beds are absent in many areas and The Richmond, Medina, and Lorraine cannot be sharply there is nothing to distinguish the dolomites of the Salina separated. The Richmond and Medina have not been from those of the Monroe. In the absence of salt beds, recognized in outcrop anywhere in Michigan and the top of the first gypsum bed may be taken as the apparently are only sparingly represented in the dividing line but as there is more or less gypsum in the Northern Peninsula, but in southeastern Michigan and Lower Monroe, and even in the Upper Monroe, this is an western Ontario, they are much more prominently unsatisfactory basis of division. In the Northern represented In Ontario the Medina is largely sandstone Peninsula and in southwestern Michigan, the Monroe and an important oil and gas bearing formation with and Salina cannot be differentiated. three productive horizons. In the Southern Peninsula, this formation is practically unexplored and little is known In southeastern Michigan and western Ontario, the concerning its oil and gas possibilities. thickness of the Salina ranges from 370 feet to more than 950 feet, but the average for the Detroit river district Clinton. The Clinton formation is thin, poorly is 700 to 800 feet. Rock salt beds have a great represented, and not readily separated from the development along the flanks of the Cincinnati anticline Rochester shale above or the Medina below. In most and, in Michigan, the aggregate thickness of the beds places, where present at all, it is a clayey dolomite with increases down the dip to the northwest, the total more or less iron ore and red shale. Its thickness varies thickness being over 609 feet in the Royal Oak .well in from nothing to 130 feet. The presence of water and gas Oakland county. is characteristic of the top of the formation. South of a line from Muskegon through Kalamazoo to Trenton, no rock salt has been found. In the Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 8 of 49 southwestern and western part of the State, the Salina is DEVONIAN. much thinner and cannot be separated from the Monroe beds above it. In the Manistee Ludington salt district, Dundee (Corniferous) limestone. The Dundee limestone the salt beds have an aggregate thickness of only 20 to underlies most of the Southern Peninsula, and, under 40 feet. In Presque Isle and Alpena counties, the Salina other names, western Ontario, and the Ohio and the apparently is developed to an equal or even greater Mississippi valleys. Its exposures skirt the northern thickness than in southeastern Michigan. The Salina is shore of the Lower Peninsula from the northwestern apparently over 1100 feet thick in the Onaway well point of Emmet county to the eastern extremity of where it includes over 800 feet of rock salt. The Grand Presque Isle county, and extend from southeastern Lake well penetrated 428 feet of the Salina, including Wayne county southwest through Monroe and Lenawee nearly 325 feet of salt, but did not reach the bottom of county into Ohio. It has been penetrated in hundreds of the formation. Further drilling may show that the drill holes in the Southern Peninsula and Ontario. It is Manistee-Ludington, Alpena-Onaway, and the the lowermost formation which has been penetrated in southeastern Michigan and western Ontario rock salt the central part of the Southern Peninsula, having been areas are only portions of a large area. encountered at depths ranging from 2900 feet at Saginaw and 3270 feet at Bay City to 3667 feet at Mt. Signs of oil and gas have been observed in the lower Pleasant. dolomite of the Salina, but in southeastern Michigan this formation has been penetrated at so many places In southeastern Michigan, the Dundee is only about 100 without striking any noteworthy amounts of either oil or feet thick, but it gradually thickens west and northwest to gas (aside from hydrogen sulphide gas) that it does not a maximum of 250 feet throughout an area extending appear to be a promising oil and gas bearing formation. northeast from Barry, Eaton, and Jackson counties into Saginaw and Bay counties. In the southwestern part of Monroe Formation. The Monroe formation is divided into the Southern Peninsula, and especially in the western three parts- - Upper, Middle (Sylvania), and Lower, but part, it becomes much thinner. At Allegan it is not over these divisions can be clearly recognized only in 125 feet thick, perhaps absent at Muskegon, and is only southeastern Michigan. 100 feet thick at Ludington. In Presque Isle and northern Alpena counties, however, the thickness is over 200 feet LOWER MONROE OR BASS ISLAND SERIES. The Lower Monroe, or Bass Island Series, is exposed in eastern thick. Monroe county. It varies from about 365 feet to 440 feet In Michigan, the Dundee nearly everywhere is a true in thickness in southeastern Michigan. Oolite, sandy limestone, usually light gray to buff in color, very dolomite, dolomite with anhydrite, and acicular or fossiliferous, and locally containing nodules and seams gashed dolomite are characteristic of the formation in of chert. Some of the beds of limestone are remarkably both the Northern and the Southern Peninsulas. pure, averaging over 98 per cent calcium carbonate. With dilute acid, the Dundee limestone always gives a SYLVANIA. MIDDLE MONROE. In southeastern Michigan vigorous effervescence in marked contrast to the the Sylvania sandstone is composed of very white 2 sandstone, (5 to 300 feet thick) and of siliceous Monroe dolomite below. The formation in many places limestone or dolomite (30 to 165 feet). This formation is gives off a strong odor of oil and contains drops of thick found only along the flanks of the Cincinnati anticline. It black bituminous matter in small cavities. In Ontario, the is thicker along a line from Milan, Monroe county, formation yields oil in considerable quantity, but in northeast to Royal Oak, Oakland county. To the west of Michigan, at Port Huron, Saginaw, and Allegan, it this line and also toward the outcrop, where it is between scarcely approaches commercial importance as an oil 50 and 100 feet thick, the formation grows thinner. producer. From the fact that the Dundee usually shows Toward the north, along St. Clair river it grades into abundant signs of oil and gas wherever penetrated, and sandy dolomite. The Sylvania sandstone is very easily that it is easily accessible nearly everywhere in the recognized for it is pure white, generally incoherent or Southern Peninsula, it appears to be the most promising little cemented, and resembles granulated sugar. It oil formation of the State. yields "sulphur" water and much hydrogen sulphide gas. The Dundee generally yields an abundance of sulphate water or strongly mineralized brines at some distance UPPER MONROE OR DETROIT RIVER SERIES. The Upper Monroe (0--350 ft.) is composed mainly of dolomite from the top. So much water was encountered in the top interstratified with limestone of great purity, the of the formation in the Braun well at Mt. Pleasant as to Anderdon beds. One of the heavy beds of dolomite is cause its abandonment. bituminous and oily throughout, and oil occurs also in Traverse (Hamilton and Marcellus) Formation. The cavities and fissures in this formation. Little or no free oil Traverse formation outcrops along the south side of has been found, however, in the many drill holes which Little Traverse Bay and at various points across the have penetrated this formation along Detroit and St. northern end of the Southern Peninsula into Presque Isle Clair rivers. and Alpena counties where it is extensively exposed or is under light drift cover. In southeastern Michigan, it is wholly concealed by drift. The formation is essentially a series of transition limestones, generally hard and

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 9 of 49 fossiliferous, and calcareous shales or soapstones from on account of the occurrence of sandstone in the lower the Dundee limestones below to the heavy shale of the portion of the Coldwater. Antrim above. Wells along Little Traverse Bay indicate The Berea exists as a sandstone only on the eastern that limestone greatly predominates over the shale in side of the Southern Peninsula, where it is generally that portion of the Southern Peninsula. Some of the white to gray in color and full of pure strong salt brine. In limestones are very high grade and are quarried on an southeastern Michigan, it is a coarse gray sandstone, extensive scale in Alpena, Charlevoix and Emmet 100 feet or more in thickness, but, in Saginaw Valley, it counties. In the northern and eastern parts of the is generally very fine grained. Farther north in Iosco and Southern Peninsula, the formation averages about 600 Alcona counties, the Berea is much thinner, and, feet thick. I n the southern and southeastern parts it is towards the western side of the State, the formation much thinner, being only about 300 feet at Port Huron, disappears as a sandstone. At Alma, Mt. Pleasant, and 168 feet at Milan, less than 100 feet at Adrian, 55 feet at Grayling, it is either represented by red shales, locally Jackson and Charlotte, 70 feet at Kalamazoo, and 190 sandy, or it is absent. feet at Benton Harbor. A heavy blue or black shale, the Bell (or Marcellus) occurs nearly everywhere at the base At Blackmar, Saginaw county. Bay City, and Killmaster, and is thus of great stratigraphic importance. Alcona county, this formation yields very considerable quantities of gas, and, previous to the recent In the recent drill holes (see Chapter VI) in the vicinity of explorations at Saginaw, it was supposed to be one of Saginaw, an excellent oil was found in a sandy or cherty the most promising gas horizons in Saginaw Valley. limestone at the top of the Traverse, but not in Unfortunately, it proved to be so fine grained that it commercially important quantities. In one of the wells, yielded relatively little brine, and only moderate amounts three oil bearing horizons were encountered in the of gas. On the western side of the State, owing to the Traverse. The oils from the lower horizons were black, red shaly character of the rock of the Berea horizon, the much heavier, and of inferior grade. Elsewhere in the possibilities seem to be less promising than on the State the Traverse has given little promise. eastern side. Antrim Shale. (Ohio, Huron, Chagrin, Cleveland, and Coldwater Shale. Part of Waverly, Sunbury or Berea Bedford of Ohio, Genesee, Portage, and Chemung? of shale together with Cuyahoga and Raccoon (?) and New York). The Antrim black shale is one of the most perhaps Black Hand of Ohio. The Coldwater shale is easily recognized horizons in the Southern Peninsula. It one of the thickest formations in the State. It underlies varies from 140 to 480 or more feet in thickness and the surface deposits of a large portion of the Southern consists mainly of pyritic shales, nearly everywhere Peninsula, but, being a soft formation, has but few black and bituminous in the lower part and locally blue in exposures. It is composed largely of blue shales with the upper part. Spherical to ellipsoidal calcareous nodules of iron carbonate, especially near the top, and concretions from an inch to six feet in diameter are lenses of sandstone and sandy shale with subordinate characteristic of the formation in certain localities. streaks of limestone, particularly on the western side of Where the Antrim passes into the Berea horizon, the State. A thin, but very persistent black bituminous elsewhere represented by sandstone, it is generally red, shale, called the Sunbury or Berea, lies at the base just gritty, or interstratified with thin sandstone lenses. In over the Berea grit. At the top, the Coldwater grades places this formation contains so much bituminous upward into the red shale and sandstone of the Lower matter that it resembles coal and can be burned. Marshall, from which it cannot be sharply separated. Generally it smells strongly of petroleum and nearly The Coldwater and the Lower Marshall are apparently always yields small quantities of gas when penetrated in from 1000 to 1200 feet or more in thickness. The shales drill holes. The oil and gas of the Upper Traverse and of are soft, nearly everywhere free from water, and afford the Berea sandstone were possibly largely derived from the easiest of drilling. In some places brine bearing this bituminous shale. The Devonian formations, sandstone lenses occur at some distance above the especially the Antrim and Dundee, can be traced across Berea grit and cannot readily be distinguished from it, as southeastern Michigan by a line of "shale" or surface gas in the Bay City, Grand Rapids, Caseville, Tawas City, wells and gas springs. and Richmondville wells. 2Scherzer: Geology of Wayne county, Pub. 12, Geol. Series 1, p. 201, Michigan Geological and Biological Survey. Marshall Sandstone. Napoleon or Upper Marshall and Lower Marshall. (Raccoon, possibly, Black Hand and MISSISSIPPIAN. Logan of Ohio in part, Kinderhook of Illinois.) The Marshall sandstone forms an almost continuous belt Berea Sandstone. This formation was originally defined around the central portion of the Southern Peninsula and by Lane3 as the Richmondville sandstone and was outcrops at many points throughout an arcuate belt from regarded as equivalent of the Berea grit of Ohio. Later Port Huron southwest into Jackson, Hillsdale, and he concluded that the "Richmondville" is not the exact Calhoun counties and thence northwestward into Ottawa equivalent of the Berea, "but a stray sandstone higher county. It consists of an upper coarse white to gray up." The Berea in Michigan forms the base of the Cold- pyritous and nonfossiliferous sandstone, called the water, but it cannot always be recognized with certainty Napoleon sandstone, and a lower white to gray or red micaceous sandstone grading downward into sandy red Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 10 of 49 and blue shales. In Huron county the Lower Marshall is county, it seems either to have been completely largely sandstone and contains minor amounts of removed by erosion or was never deposited. From "peanut" conglomerate, composed of rounded fragments Jackson to Grand Rapids, remnants of the Maxville of quartz, which resemble peanuts, and grindstones and occur and this evidence points to the probability that whetstones. In the central part of the Michigan Basin, erosion rather than non-deposition explains the apparent the sandstone of the Lower Marshall is replaced by a absence of the formation along the southeastern margin. series of red and blue shales, usually sandy. The Generally, the formation is not over 50 to 75 feet in bottom, and especially the top, is generally marked by a thickness, but at Mt. Pleasant it appears to be 235 feet red sandstone or sandy shale popularly called thick. Hard light bluish limestone with chert and white "paintrock." sandstone lenses are characteristic. The Upper Marshall is nearly nonfossiliferous but the 3Sherzer: Geology of Wayne county, Pub. 12, Geol. Ser. 9, 1911, p. Lower Marshall has several extremely fossiliferous 191. horizons. Strong brine occurs in abundance in the Upper Marshall away from the outcrop and is PENNSYLVANIAN. characterized by its content of bromine, especially Parma Sandstone or Conglomerate. (Pottsville). The toward the centre of the Basin. Near the margin, the Parma is a white sandstone containing local Napoleon is an abundant source of fresh water. The conglomerates with small white quartz pebbles like split thickness of the Marshall formation in Huron county is peas. It is the basal member of the Pennsylvanian and a fully 560 feet, but elsewhere in the State it varies from very persistent and easily recognized horizon varying 260 to 300 feet. Hundreds of drillings for oil, brine, or from 0 to 170 feet in thickness. It yields an abundance fresh water have penetrated the Marshall but no signs of of fresh water around the margin and sulphate brines either oil or gas have been encountered anywhere. near the center of the Basin. Michigan Series or Lower Grand Rapids. The Michigan Saginaw Formation (Upper Pottsville). The Saginaw Series is a variable formation both in thickness and formation is the uppermost and youngest of the character. It consists chiefly of dark or bluish limestone Paleozoic sediments and underlies the drift in the whole or dolomite with blue or black, and, rarely, reddish or central portion of the Southern Peninsula. Unlike the greenish shales and dark or red sandstone. Well lower formations, it does not partake of the basin-like records indicate that gypsum or anhydrite, associated structure; its strata, aside from local undulations and with dark dolomite and dark blue shale, occurs small folds, are practically horizontal. The Saginaw everywhere near the middle of the formation. In certain formation averages about 400 feet in thickness, and is areas, gypsum beds are numerous, but most of them are composed of white shales or so-called fire clays, thin, ranging from a fraction of an inch to a foot or more sandstones, black shales, and coal seams. There are thick. Some of the thicker beds which are being quarried also subordinate amounts of blue shales, thin seams of and mined in Kent and Iosco counties, however, are black band ore (siderite) and, rarely, beds of thin from 6 to 23 feet thick. The sandstones are thin and limestone. In general, the strata vary markedly in irregular, and dark limestones occur near the base of the character and thickness within relatively short distances. formation. Apparently, however, there is a curious persistence of Near the margin, excepting along the southeastern local facies; that is, in one locality the strata may be portion, the formation is apparently about 200 feet in predominantly sandstone, while in another shales thickness, but toward the center of the Basin it is much predominate. The same is true of the coal seams, some thicker, being 330 feet at Midland and 358 feet at Mt. regions having several seams, generally thin, and other Pleasant. Along the southeastern margin from Tuscola regions none. county into Jackson county the formation is absent in Near Fowlerville, a little oil was struck in a sandy shale in whole or in part. The water from the Michigan Series is the top of the formation. Many drill holes have salty and "bitter," being high in sulphates of calcium and penetrated this formation and the underlying ones down magnesium. The high content of sulphates in these to the Upper Marshall or Napoleon without striking any brines readily distinguishes them from those of the noteworthy signs of oil or gas. Marshall immediately below.

Bay Port Limestone or Maxville. Upper Grand Rapids, POSSIBLY PERMO-CARBONIFEROUS. (Upper St. Louis, Middle Kaskaskia.) The Bay Port, or Maxville, limestone is very irregular in thickness and Woodville. (Conemaugh?). Near Jackson, at Woodville, distribution owing to heavy erosion subsequent to its there is a sandstone 79 feet thick, which Winchell deposition. The unconformity between the overlying separated from the Coal Measures and called Woodville. Coal Measures and the Maxville is very pronounced and Wells at Maple Rapids, St. Johns, Ionia and Gladwin distinctly marks the division between the Mississippian indicate the presence of a reddish sandstone which may and Pennsylvanian. Present evidence afforded by be the same as the buff colored Woodville. Being at the drillings and rock exposures indicates that the Maxville top of the Coal Measures, the sandstone apparently has exists only in fragments over much of the Basin. On the been largely removed by erosion. southeastern margin from Tuscola into Livingston Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 11 of 49 PLEISTOCENE. such structures are absolutely necessary for large accumulations. E. B. Andrews2 independently reached a Nearly the whole state is covered with drift or glacial similar conclusion in studying the oil and gas wells of the deposits of sand, gravel and clay varying from a thin White Oak anticline in the vicinity of Burning Springs, veneer to 1000 feet or more in thickness. In most of the West Virginia, and explained the separation of gas, oil, eastern half of the Northern Peninsula and in the and water as due to gravity. In a series of articles in southern half of the Southern Peninsula the drift is 1881, F. W. Minshall of Ohio advocated views similar to generally less than 200 feet thick, and does not those of Andrews concerning the West Virginia "Oil commonly exceed 300 feet, but throughout a broad belt Break.'' H. Hoefer of Austria, without knowledge of extending from Mason, Oceana, and Newaygo counties Hunt's and Andrews' publications, recognized that "rock northeastward into Otsego, Montmorency, and Alcona disturbance" is a fundamental factor in the accumulation counties, the depth to rock varies from 300 to 1000 feet of oil and gas in Pennsylvania and, in 1876, published or over and the average depth is probably nearly if not the elements of the anticlinal theory in a book "The fully 600 feet. From the head of Saginaw Bay southwest Petroleum Industry of the United States.'' to Alma, and thence northwest through Mason and Manistee counties to Lake Michigan, there is an old While the influence of the anticlinal structure was early preglacial rock valley in which the drift is also very deep, recognized, no attempt was made to use it in a practical especially toward the west, being 400 to 500 feet in way until 1883, when I. C. White of West Virginia in Isabella county and 500 to over 700 feet in Manistee connection with Wm. A. Earseman, a practical oil county. In Presque Isle and Alpena counties, in eastern operator, made an exhaustive study of the gas fields in Monroe county, and in Hillsdale, Calhoun and Jackson the Appalachian district and reached the conclusion that counties the drift is absent, or thin, over areas of "rock disturbance caused by anticlinal waves" is the considerable extent. In the eastern half of the Northern important factor in the occurrence of both oil and gas. Peninsula a broad belt along the shores of Lake Working upon this hypothesis, the Grapeville, Michigan and Lake Huron from Little Bay de Noc Washington, and other great gas pools were located in eastward to Drummond Island, and another north from the next two years. In 1885, the theory was published 3 Little Bay de Noc to Lake Superior are thinly drift by Dr. White in Science, and the essentials of the covered. Locally, near the lake shore in the Southern theory, as first stated by him in connection with the Peninsula and around the margin of the Coal Basin, rock accumulation of gas, is best given in the following is exposed, or but thinly covered with drift. paragraphs from this article. Nearly everywhere the drift contains thick beds of sand "The first explorers assumed that gas could be obtained and gravel full of water. Where such beds have a at one point as well as at another, provided the earth be suitable cover of clay and overlie the Devonian penetrated to a depth sufficiently great; and it has formations, especially the Antrim or Dundee, they yield required the expenditure of several hundred thousand small to considerable quantities of gas. From St. Clair dollars in useless drilling to convince capitalists of this county southwest to Ohio, this surface or “shale" gas fallacy, which even yet obtains general credence among has been utilized by the farmers for domestic purposes. those not interested in successful gas companies. In the northern part of the Southern Peninsula, where "The writer's study of this subject began in June, 1883, the drift is locally very thick over the Antrim shale, when he was employed by Pittsburg parties to make a considerable bodies of gas are liable to be encountered general investigation of the natural gas question with the in gravel beds. At a depth of about 425 feet, a strong special object of determining whether or not it was flow of gas with a pressure of about 190 pounds was possible to predict the presence or absence of gas from struck in the drift at Onekama, (Chap. VIII), Manistee geological structure. In the prosecution of this work, I county. was aided by a suggestion from Mr. William A. Earseman, of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, an oil operator of many years experience, who had noticed that the CHAPTER II. GEOLOGICAL principal gas wells then known in western Pennsylvania FACTORS CONTROLLING THE were situated close to where anticlinal axes were drawn OCCURRENCE OF OIL AND GAS. on the geological maps. From this, he inferred there must be some connection between the gas wells and the anticlines. After visiting all the great gas wells that had THE ANTICLINAL THEORY. been struck in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and carefully examining the geological surroundings of Very soon after the development of the great oil fields of each, I found that every one of them was situated either the country, it was independently observed by different directly on or near the crown of an anticlinal axis, while investigators, and by some of the practical oil and gas wells that had been bored in the synclines on either side operators, that the great oil and gas wells in furnished little or no gas but in many cases large Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, were aligned quantities of salt water. Further observation showed that along the crests of anticlines. T. Sterry Hunt1 was one of the gas wells were confined to a narrow belt, only one- the first to recognize the influence of anticlinal folds, in fourth to one mile wide, along the crests of the anticlinal the accumulation of oil in Ontario, and asserted that Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 12 of 49 folds. These facts seem to connect gas territory by others. There was such a general attempt on the part unmistakably with the disturbance in the rocks caused of the champions of the theory to explain all by their upheaval into arches, but the crucial test was yet accumulations on the anticlinal basis without due regard to be made in the actual location of good gas territory on to White's "limitations” and to other limiting factors not this theory. During the last two years I have submitted it then known or fully recognized that the theory suffered to all manner of tests, both in locating and condemning more or less unjust criticism. C. Ashburner, geologist in gas territory and the general result has been to confirm charge of the Second Pennsylvania Survey, who was a the anticlinal theory beyond a reasonable doubt. strong opponent of the theory held that the relation between gas wells and anticlinals was merely one of "But while we can state with confidence that all great gas coincidence, and also that large gas wells could be wells are found on the anticlinal axis, the converse of found in synclines. Dr. White's answer to these this is not true, viz that great gas wells may be found on criticisms is given in the following extract from an article all anticlinals. In a theory of this kind, the limitations published in Science July 17, 1885. become quite as important as, or even more so than the theory itself; and hence I have given considerable "In reply to Mr. Ashburner’s criticism of the views thought to this side of the question, having formulated advanced in my article on natural gas, I would say that them into three or four general rules (which include the necessary brevity of the paper in question prevented practically all the limitations known to me, up to the the mention of many facts that might have rendered the present time, that should be placed on the statement conclusions clearer and less open to challenge. One of that large gas wells may be obtained on anticlinal folds), these is that my communication had especial reference viz.: to the natural gas regions proper, i. e., where the gas is unconnected with the oil fields. Most geologists know (a) "The arch in the rocks must be one of considerable that natural gas in large quantities exists with and magnitude. contiguous to every oil pool, apparently as a by-product (b) "A coarse or porous sandstone of considerable in the generation of the oil, and of course the rocks are thickness, or, if a fine grained rock, one that would have filled with it wherever it can find a reservoir. To gas extensive fissures, and thus in either case rendered wells from such sources Mr. Ashburner's criticism may capable of acting as a reservoir for gas, must underlie sometimes be found applicable; but, even with these, by the surface at a depth of several hundred feet (500 to far the larger ones will be found on the arches of the 2,500). rocks. (c) "Probably very few or none of the grand arches along "The cases that Mr. Ashburner mentions, where large the mountain ranges will be found holding gas in large gas wells have been found at the centers of synclines, quantity, since in such cases the disturbance of the do not necessarily contradict my conclusions; for no one stratification has been so profound that all the natural knows better than he that a subordinate crumple or gas generated in the past would long ago ago have anticlinal roll often runs along the central line of a escaped into the air through fissures that traverse all the syncline. beds. "My excuse for writing the article on natural gas was that (d) "Another limitation might possibly be added, which I might be of some service in preventing the waste of would confine the areas where great gas flows may be capital that has been going on within a radius of fifty obtained to those underlain by a considerable thickness miles of Pittsburg by an indiscriminate search for natural of bituminous shale. gas; and it is a sufficient answer to Mr. Ash-burner 's criticism to point him to the brilliant lights along the (e) "Very fair gas wells may also be obtained for a crests of the Waynesburg, Pinhook, Washington, Bull considerable distance down the slopes from the crests of Creek, Bradys Bend, Hickory, Wellsburg, Raccoon, and the anticlinals provided the dip be sufficiently rapid, and other anticlinals, and also the darkness that envelops especially if it be irregular or interrupted with slight the intervening synclines, in which hundreds of crumples. And even in regions where there are no well thousands of dollars have been invested without marked anticlinals, if the dip be somewhat rapid and developing a single profitable gas well. The same irregular, rather large gas wells may occasionally be results has been proven in other portions of the country. found, if all other conditions are favorable. The Great Kanawha Valley above Charleston has been "The reason why natural gas should collect under the honeycombed with borings for salt, and the only gas arches of the rocks is sufficiently plain from a wells developed were found within a belt a few rods consideration of its volatile nature. Then, too, the wide, which coincides with the crest of the Brownstown extensive fissuring of the rock, which appears necessary anticlinal, where immense flows were struck. In this to form a, capacious reservoir for a large gas well, would connection, I should say that Col Allen, of Charlestown, take place most readily along the anticlinals where the says he can trace the Brownstown anticlinal by the tension in bending would be greatest.” escaping gas across streams and even mountains, from the Kanawha river to the Big Sandy, where, on its crest, The theory was from the first enthusiastically accepted near Warfield, two of the largest gas wells ever known by many as a complete explanation of both oil and gas have recently been struck. At Burning Springs, on the accumulations, but was violently attacked and opposed Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 13 of 49 Little Kanawha, the only large gas wells were found on across the trend of a syncline, and failure to grasp this the very crest of the great uplift in that region. The gas fact is the principal reason why Mr. Ashburner insists belt of western Ohio, through Findlay and other towns, upon his readers believing that a great gas well may be follows closely the line of the Cincinnati arch, and the obtained in a syncline; for it is quite certain that no large same story is repeated in other localities too numerous gas well has ever yet been found in the trend of a to mention. syncline, except where the trough itself has been elevated by a long rise which is of course brought about "Mr. Ashburner can, if he chooses, interpret these facts by the crosscut folds. as mere coincidences, and explain them to himself as having no more bearing on the question of finding gas “These are the geological surroundings of all those wells than "Angell's belt theory" of oil; but the practical gas which Mr. Ashburner cites from northern Pennsylvania operator can no longer be deluded by such logic into and southern New York as occurring in synclines. It is risking his money in water holes (synclines) where so not necessary to show a reversed dip . . . in order to many thousands have been hopelessly squandered. demonstrate the existence of one of those crosscut waves, since their crests are often marked by a simple ''With regard to the anticlinal theory not being a practical flattening of the rate of dip along the latter. Professor basis for successful operations, I deem it a sufficient Orton would call such a structure (where there is no reply to state that all the successful gas companies of reversal of dip, but only a change in rate) a suppressed Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia are getting anticlinal, a very good name, for such it really is. their gas from the crests of anticlinal axes, while those that have confined their operations to synclines have "It follows, of course, that a synclinal structure may be met with uniform financial disaster. converted into an anticlinal one by the presence of the crosscut wave, so the reverse may and frequently does ''The statement was distinctly made in my original happen." communication that gas would not be found on all anticlinals, nor at all localities along one that actually As noted in the foregoing paragraphs, the theory was produces gas, since other factors have to be considered, stated with special reference to the accumulations of gas as there stated; but, with the facts before us, it would and the "limitations" given by White were not intended to certainly prove a great saving of capital in the search for cover occurrences of oil or of gas in association with oil. gas if operations were confined to the crests of E. Orton4 grasped the truth of the principles of the anticlinals, and I fail to perceive how Mr. Ashburner's anticlinal theory and used them to explain the fears for the ‘misleading’ character of my article can be accumulations of oil and gas in Ohio where pronounced realized.'' anticlinals are few, or wanting in many areas. He held In the March number of the Petroleum Age in 1886, Dr. that structure is a vital element in the accumulation of White, in reply to further criticism by Mr. Ashburner, either oil or gas and recognized clearly that the published another paper on the occurrence of gas principles of the anticlinal theory applied to any structure particularly in western Pennsylvania. In this paper he having an anticlinal effect, provided that due regard be recognized the importance of the "crowns,” "hogs- given to the "limitations" of the theory, i e. to the other backs,” or domes formed through the intersection of the geologic factors such as water, porosity, size of the main anticlines by minor ones, in causing local pores, and source of hydrocarbons. In brief, he asserted concentration of the oil and gas at these points. These that in a wide area where the rocks are nearly horizontal localizations at the cross arches explain why the course no marked accumulation can take place until the rocks of some anticlines are marked by a line of groups of are tilted considerably so that the small disseminated productive wells with barren or "lean" territory in the sags particles of oil, gas, and water found in nearly all or "saddles” between the "crowns" or domes. sedimentary rocks can rearrange themselves in the rocks in the order of their specific gravities, assuming the "An inspection of the accompanying map will reveal the presence of water, a suitable reservoir and an fact that the main northeast and southwest anticlinals impervious cover to retain the petroliferous products. are cut by another set at nearly right angles, which have The gas being lightest is found at the top, the oil next been termed crosscut anticlinals. below and the water lowest, filling the rest of the rock “The principal anticlinal axis of Illinois puts out in Ogle reservoir. The ideal conditions for an anticlinal structure county, in the northern part of the state, and extends in a are illustrated by figure 4. direction S. 20° E. . . . Along this axis natural gas can be The principles of the theory have been widely accepted traced in springs and well borings for a distance of 160 and applied in the practical development of oil and gas miles. It is however, more prevalent on the crowns of fields in general. Unfortunately at first, the importance of the cross axes. the "limitations" were often ignored, but costly "This same story is repeated in Ohio according to the experience has demonstrated the truth of White's testimony of the eminent state geologist, Professor statement that they are of as much or even greater Orton. importance than the theory itself. Under the anticlinal theory as later developed by White, Orton and others, oil "These cross-cut arches result in carrying the anticlinal and gas may be expected to occur most abundantly on structure and a line of disturbance in the rocks directly Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 14 of 49 or near the crests of anticlines or other rock structures, first seemed to prove the theory false and at variance anticlinal in effect, provided: (1) that a suitable reservoir with the facts concerning the occurrence of oil and gas. is present, (2) that the rocks are saturated with water, A study of each sand separately showed that oil and gas and (3) that there is an impervious cover over the in the sands saturated with water are generally found reservoirs. Orton asserted that the three limiting along the crests of anticlines especially in the vicinity of conditions are more often met together than structure domes and therefore in direct relation to structural alone, but that they can not produce an accumulation conditions. In dry or partially saturated sands, the oil is without the aid of a proper structure. Evidently, a large more apt to be near the bottom of the synclines or part accumulation can not occur without the presence of a way up the limbs stratum not only with a large amount of pore space but also with pores of sufficient size to permit the ready passage of oil and gas in response to gravity or hydrostatic force, nor is oil likely to occur near the crests of anticlines or structures of like effect without the rocks are saturated with water which tends to float the oil upward to the highest possible points.

Figure 5. Diagrammatic section of the oil and gas sands in the central Appalachian oil region. (After W. T. Griswold and M. J. Munn). Figure 4. Ideal relations of oil, gas, and water in reservoirs. Adapted from Part I, Bull. 318, U. S. Geological Survey. (a). Sandstone bed interstratified with impervious beds. (c). A. Oil sand saturated with water. Sandstone lense wholly sealed in by shales be and not in B. Dry oil sand. communication with water. C. Oil accumulation. D. Gas accumulation. In Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the regional folding Further observations have shown that there are many has produced a series of pronounced anticlinal and other structures which serve the same purpose as synclinal folds with minor folds, superimposed on the normal anticlines. In Ohio the Cincinnati anticlines larger ones, all extending in a general northeast extends through the state from north to south but it is so southwest direction. As noted on previous pages, the broad and flat that it partakes little of the nature of location of all the great gas wells in the latter state, on or ordinary anticlines. On the eastern flank of this near the crests of the pronounced anticlines, was the structure, however, there are a few minor anticlines significant fact which gave rise to the anticlinal theory as related in part to the "anticlinal waves” of western stated by White. Since the axes of anticlines do not Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but, in general, the usually lie in a horizontal position but undulate more or disturbing force in eastern Ohio produced only marked less, resulting in an alternating series of rises or domes irregularities in the normal dip. Orton noticed that in and sags, the greatest accumulations generally occur many oil and gas fields of Ohio, where anticlines are near the crests of the domes while little or no oil and gas absent, that the general dip becomes flatter, or even is found in the sags, as noted by Orton and White. In horizontal over a considerable area before the normal many cases, however, considerable bodies of oil and dip is again resumed. This gives rise to a structural gas are found on the slopes of anticlines, trapped bench" or terrace or the arrested anticline of Orton. In beneath smaller superimposed folds. such cases, the upward migration of the oil and gas is Formerly, the opponents of the anticlinal theory made a arrested or retarded by the flatter dip, and accumulation most convincing argument by pointing to the fact that, in occurs beneath the terrace and on the lower slope. This some of the Pennsylvania fields, oil and gas are found appears to be the case at Allegan where the dip of the anywhere from the bottom of the synclines to the top of strata suddenly changes. (See Fig. 13). the anticlines. Apparently, this proved that there is no In Texas and Louisiana, the rock strata are locally relation between the occurrence of the oil and gas and arched up into domes or quaquaversal anticlines, which the geologic structure. As previously stated, there are appear to be due to dynamic force resulting from the several producing oil sands (Fig. 5) in Pennsylvania, the deposition of rock salt and gypsum from ascending upper ones of which are saturated and the lower ones waters. These substances always form the inner core of dry or only partially saturated. It is this combination of the domes. (See Fig. 6). The greater part of the oil and saturated, partially saturated, and dry sands which at Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 15 of 49 gas found in such structures occurs in the porous F. Oil bearing limestone formation. limestone, which forms the capping over the salt, or in G. Porous area containing oil and gas not in communication porous strata immediately above the limestone. with water. Spindletop is one of the most noted of these oil and gas In California, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania and other structures. states many accumulations of oil and gas occur on unbroken slopes, apparently not related to structure but drillings have shown that generally the accumulations in such cases are contained in porous strata grading up the dip into impervious rock. (Fig. 7). In many instances, the oil reservoir is a porous sandstone lens (c of Fig. 4) hermetically sealed in by impervious shale, in other cases a porous limestone (Fig. 8) surrounded by less porous rock. In the same regions, however, many of the accumulations and, generally the more important ones, Figure 6. Cross section of the saline dome of the Spindle Top are determined by the anticlines and terraces. oil field, Texas. (After Jaeger). (a). Unconsolidated sands and gravels. Great gas reservoirs A less common structure is that produced by an unconformity, especially an angular unconformity. In the just above the limestone. 6 (b). Clays, often of the “gumbo” character. Coalinga district of California, the oil migrates up the (c). Cavernous limestone, the chief oil reservoir. highly inclined strata of the petroliferous Tejon shales (d). Gypsum. into the flat unconformable Vaquereros sandstone above (e). Rock salt. and collects in certain favorable places forming the chief oil accumulations of the district. Similar conditions are While stringers of salt ramify the dolomites for a short illustrated in (Fig. 19), which shows the edge of the distance above the salt beds in Michigan, there is no inclined Berea sandstone in Alcona county evidence that the strata have been arched up into unconformably overlain by the Pleistocene deposits. As domes as in Texas and Louisiana. shale gas is abundant in the drift along the strike of the oil and gas formations in Michigan, it is proof beyond reasonable doubt that the gas has escaped from the underlying rocks into the overlying sand and gravel beds, as at Killmaster (See Chapter IX), Alcona county. In eastern Mexico, the accumulations are in the upturned edges of porous strata adjacent to old volcanic necks. This form of occurrence is one of the strongest arguments advanced by the exponents of the inorganic theory of the origin of oil. The oil, however, instead of originating from volcanic emanations from the interior of the earth much more plausibly has been distilled by volcanic heat from the bituminous matter in the intruded Figure 7. Forms of oil and gas reservoirs. (a). Inclined lens of sandstone sealed in by shales (b) but sedimentary strata. somewhere in communication with water under hydrostatic In many oil fields, particularly those of the western pressure. states, there are numerous faults involving weak or soft (c). Inclined bed of sandstone grading into shales and sealed strata such as clays and shales. Fractures and faults in in by them, but somewhere in connection with water as in (a). such formations are readily healed, preventing the escape of oil and gas from the porous reservoirs below and these products may collect next the ends of the impervious strata, as illustrated in Figure 8. In some oil and gas fields, as in the Niagara limestone of western Ontario, fissured and fractured zones in dense non- porous limestones form the chief oil reservoirs. (Fig. 8). Since the Niagara yields oil only a few miles east of Detroit river, and as the strata are locally disturbed along the river, it is possible that similar fractured zones may exist in the Niagara in southeastern Michigan and prove Figure 8. Sketch showing forms of oil reservoirs. oil bearing. A. Surface sands and clays. B. Limestone lens in shale. From a study of the occurrence of oil and gas in the C. Fissured or cavernous limestone. various fields of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, D. Sandstone lens in limestone. the following generalizations may be made concerning E. Fault with fractured or brecciated zone in the limestone, but the application of the anticlinal theory. more or less sealed in the shale. Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 16 of 49 1. With a completely saturated oil stratum, the the casing. The greater the volume of gas discharged in accumulations show a definite relation to the geologic a given time the greater the open pressure. This structure. pressure which is rarely more than a few pounds is measured by some form of a gauge held in the current of 2. In general, the greatest elongations of the pools are in escaping gas, but the open pressure of wells of less a direction more or less parallel to and coincident with capacity than 1,000,000 cubic feet per day cannot be the axes of the anticlines. measured by the ordinary high pressure gauges. Resort 3. With gas, oil, and water present together in the same must be made to the water or mercury column, or the stratum, they are arranged in the order of their specific anemometer. gravities, the gas at the top or absorbed in the oil, and The amount of closed pressure developed by a well is the oil next below, but resting on the water which fills the no indication of its size and value. A small well may remainder of the reservoir. develop as great a closed pressure as a large one. A 4. When water is absent, the oil is apt to occur near the rough estimate of the size of a well, however, can be bottom of the synclines but it may be part way up the made by noting the time necessary for it to develop the anticlinal slopes, caught in superimposed synclines or in maximum rock pressure after being closed. In a large porous areas. well, the full pressure is attained almost instantly, in a few seconds, or in a minute at the longest. Wells of 5. Oil and gas also occur in sealed reservoirs which may small volume on the contrary require several hours or be located near the crests of anticlines, on the slopes, or even days to develop the maximum pressure obtaining in synclines. Water may or may not be present. in the pool. The time necessary for a well to develop its 6. Oil and gas may occur on a "structural bench," i. e., maximum rock pressure bears such a close relation to where the dip of the strata changes from gentle to steep. its size that generally the volume or value of a gas well is roughly estimated by comparing the amount of pressure 7. Oil and gas occur in other structures, which are not developed per minute ("minute pressure") after being anticlines, but which serve in the same capacity, and the closed and the total rock pressure developed. Very principles of the anticlinal theory (subject to its accurate determinations are obtained by the use of the limitations) apply as in the case of normal anticlines. improved Pitot tube, which gives the capacity of a gas 8. Gas occurs mainly near the crests of anticlinal folds, well in cubic feet. but it occurs in greater volume beneath certain upward The reason for the great difference in the volume of gas rises along the crests, called "domes.” wells in the same pool lies in the fact that the porosity of 9. Due to local changes in dip and porosity, gas occurs the reservoir varies markedly from place to place. In the also in volume at many other points. fine grained portions, the gas and oil escapes into the wells slowly, hence the flows are small. Large wells 10. Oil in rocks saturated with water is found in the always indicate very open and porous reservoirs, from coarse grained porous areas but appears to be wholly which the gas and oil can escape most freely. In general excluded from many porous but fine grained areas in the it may be stated that the greater the porosity and the same oil stratum, and this seems to be due in some way rock pressure in an oil and gas reservoir, the greater is to capillary force and viscosity, the effects of which are the size of the wells. not well understood.

1 . The cause of rock pressure Canadian Naturalist, 1859. Amer. Jour. Sci., Mar. 1863. Cause of Rock Pressure in gas and oil wells has been the subject of much 2 Amer. Jour. Sci., May 1861. speculation and argument, and the controversy is still 3Science, June and July, 1885. The Geology of Natural Gas. See also unsettled. Four theories have been advanced in reprint, Geological Survey, West Virginia, Vol. 1, 1899, pages 160-175. explanation of rock pressure. 4 Ohio Geol. Survey, Vol. VI, pp. 89-96. 1. Hydrostatic pressure from water. 6U. S. Geol. Survey, Bulletin 398, Pl. V. B. 2. Pressure due to the expansive nature of the gas itself. 3. Pressure as the result of the weight of the overlying ROCK PRESSURE IN GAS AND OIL WELLS. rocks. 4. Pressure from gaseous emanations from deep seated The pressure developed within the casing of a gas or oil rocks. well, when the casing valve is closed, is called the "rock'' or closed pressure. This pressure, which in general In most fields, the oil and gas bodies are surrounded by increases with the depth of oil or gas sand, varies from a salt water which, when penetrated by the drill, rises in few pounds up to 1500 or more, but the rock pressure in the well to a certain height or even to the surface and most of the great gas fields ranges from 300 to 800 above, in response to the pressure of the head of water pounds. Rock pressure, as observed, is always greatest contained in the rocks. This is the explanation of the when a field is first opened. artesian well, and E. Orton and I. C. White, and many other early investigators, once held that rock pressure in The open pressure of a well is the pressure exerted by gas and oil wells similarly is due to direct water pressure the column of gas escaping with unobstructed flow from acting under artesian conditions. Orton observed that in

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 17 of 49 Ohio the pressure in most of the gas wells from the a field where artesian conditions prevail, all of the wells Trenton limestone was approximately the same as the must be closed for a period sufficient for the water to calculated weight of a column of water of unit cross invade the gas reservoir and restore the full pressure of section reaching from the gas sand to the assumed level the hydrostatic head. The rock pressure in the oil and of the outcrop of this formation. In the case of oil wells, gas sands of some of the Pennsylvania fields has according to the artesian theory, whenever the elevation decreased to zero and in certain pools continuous of the outcrop of the oil formation is sufficiently high pumping has tended to develop a vacuum7 in the sands. above the mouth of a well to overcome the loss of head The '' expansion hypothesis” advocated by Prof. Lesley through capillary friction, the pressure from the many years ago ascribes rock pressure to the expansive hydrostatic head will force the oil or water, as the case nature of the gas itself. Solid and liquid bituminous may be, up to or above the surface and the calculated material in the reservoirs or in the associated rocks are weight of this column should represent the rock supposed to give rise to gases which occupy many times pressure. Rock pressure in general increases with more space than the liquid or solid sources. The gas depth in about the same proportion as the weight of a tends to expand to fill this space and thus exerts column of water extending from the surface to the same pressure. This theory is apparently the true explanation depth, but while this is strong evidence that water is for the rock pressure observed in sealed reservoirs and generally an important factor in causing rock pressure, it sands devoid of water and accounts satisfactorily for the does not follow that it is always a factor, and much less variable pressures found in shale gas pockets. an important one. In sands containing water under artesian conditions, the The artesian theory assumes a porosity of the oil or gas expansive force of the gas equals that exerted by water. stratum from well to outcrop, but this assumption in Any increase in pressure by the former will tend to force many instances is not warranted by the facts. Many oil back the water until equilibrium is again established sands vary greatly in porosity within short distances. In through the increase in the capacity of the gas reservoir. Oklahoma, California, and other western states some of In close grained sands, however, resistance to the the oil reservoirs are mere lenses devoid of water and passage of water is very great, hence the expansive sealed in by impervious strata. The so-called "Saginaw pressure of the gas may become much greater than that oil sand" (Chap. V) at the top of the Traverse at Saginaw from any possible hydrostatic head. This may explain appears to be a thin porous sandy or cherty limestone the occurrence of exceptional pressures at depths too non-water bearing, of very limited extent, and sealed in shallow to be accounted for under the artesian theory. I. by calcareous or bluish shale. Porous lenses appear to C. White also suggests, as a possible explanation for the be characteristic of this formation, as it yields water only apparent agreement of rock pressures with the artesian locally, at different levels and with small head in many pressure theory, that the long continued escape of small cases. The deep Gordon and other sands beneath, in quantities of gas upward to the surface along fissures Pennsylvania and West Virginia, contain little or no and joints has reduced the original pressure of water. Evidently under the conditions cited above water expansion within the rock reservoir to that found on cannot be an important factor in causing rock pressure. opening any new gas field, and in the case of small Orton in his investigations of the New York gas fields fissures and joints filled with water, the escape of gas found pressures of 1500 pounds, or much greater than would be arrested as soon as the resistance to the could be accounted for under the artesian theory. In passage of the gas equals the pressure exerted by the other fields also, rock pressures have been struck at head of water. depths much too shallow to be due to any hydrostatic head possible under the conditions. Thus the artesian The third theory ascribes rock pressure to the weight of theory breaks down as an explanation for all cases of oil the overlying sediments. Against this theory, it is urged and gas pressures. that oil and gas bearing rocks must be in a crushed state before the weight of the overlying rocks can be effective It has been urged also that if artesian water is the cause in reducing pore space and exerting pressure upon the of rock pressure, this pressure in a given field should contained liquids and gases. In the original argillaceous remain practically constant instead of showing a more or and calcareous muds and sands, now shales, less gradual decrease. This argument is not conclusive limestones, and sandstones, gravity was a very effective for, admitting that water is the primary factor in causing force in causing consolidation and a reduction of pore rock pressure in a gas pool, the pressure always tends space with a consequent increase of pressure on the to decrease inversely as the number and size of the liquid and gaseous contents. Rock pressure in the case wells opened. Owing to greater friction, the passage of of sealed reservoirs may be accounted for in part at least water through the pores of a rock is much slower than in this way, and it is possible that the pressures that of gas, hence the invasion of the gas reservoir by obtaining in some of the oil and gas reservoirs of water (or oil) may lag behind the escape of the gas, with southern Texas and Louisiana fields are due partially to a consequent fall in the rock pressure. This is especially the weight of the overlying and largely unconsolidated pronounced in the case of close grained sands tapped Tertiary sediments of the gulf coastal plain. In general, by many wells. In open coarse grained rocks offering however, the attitude of the rocks and the geological little resistence to the passage of water, the fall is much conditions have so changed since the consolidation and less rapid. To determine the maximum rock pressure in Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 18 of 49 cementation of the original sediments that, whatever There are other surface signs peculiar to certain districts pressures may have once obtained from the weight of which have been taken as favorable indications. Two of overlying deposits, the existing rock pressures in hard these, characteristic of the gulf coastal plain in Texas indurated rocks are probably more directly due to other and Louisiana, are the escape of hydrogen sulphide factors. (H2S) gas, and the "sour" waters. These phenomena are doubtless related to the formation of the salt bodies Under the fourth theory, the cause of rock pressure is below, which in turn cause the formation of favorable referred to the pressure of gaseous emanations from structures for trapping the oil and gas in their migration deep seated or magmatic sources. In the zone of upward. anamorphism, or of rock flowage, the pressures and temperatures are so great that gaseous and liquid In Wyoming, and many other western fields, anticlines solutions8 (chiefly the products of the processes of are frequently discovered from surface observations or dehydration and decarbonation, but probably in part the from a study of the field relation of the rock outcrops. On result of emanations from magmatic sources) tend to be the Gulf Coastal Plain, low rises only a few feet in height squeezed upward into the belt of cementation where sometimes indicate the presence of saline domes. More lower pressures and temperatures obtain. The upper often, the anticlinal conditions are discovered only after part of this belt contains the oil and gas reservoirs, and it considerable drilling. is supposed that the gaseous and liquid solutions make In Michigan, gas springs, the occurrence of "shale" gas their way upward and transmit their higher pressures in the drift, a scum of oil on ponds and in wells, and and temperatures to the oil and gas bodies. While bituminous smelling rock, are most abundant along the magmatic emanations are probably a factor in causing strike of the Devonian formations in the southeastern rock pressure, there is little evidence to indicate that they and northern portions of the Southern Peninsula. These have been of more than very minor importance in signs have led to much fruitless drilling. The belt in causing the pressures observed in the great oil and gas which the oil formations outcrop must necessarily be one fields of the continent, and certainly the emanation of leakage rather than accumulation. theory cannot account for the pressures obtaining in sealed reservoirs. The Survey has received many samples of highly bituminous "oil rock" from various parts of the State, In conclusion it may be said that all four theories contain especially from the regions mentioned above. Some of some elements of truth and that, while most of the the black shales of the Coal Measures, the Sunbury existing evidence is inconclusive or contradictory, rock (Berea), Antrim, and the Bell shales, and the Dundee pressure is probably the combined result of the factors and Trenton limestones give off a strong bituminous as given in the theories. In a given case, one or two odor, especially when struck or heated. Such rocks are factors are generally of much more importance than the a source of oil and gas, but this does not mean that they others, and present evidence indicates that in most fields necessarily contain valuable oil or gas pools, for reasons the cause of rock pressure can be ascribed chiefly to already given. In Michigan, the configuration of the water acting under artesian conditions and to the surface deposits has no relation to the structures in the expansive force of the gas itself. underlying rocks or to the oil horizons and the 7Bull. 454 U. S. Geol. Surv. 1911. conclusions frequently drawn by drillers from the "lay of 8C. R. Van Hise: Mon. XLVII, U. S. Geol. Surv., pp. 1017-1029. the land" are therefore of no value whatever. Extensive swamps with an "abundance of gas (marsh gas, mainly methane) are also supposed by many to be highly SURFACE INDICATIONS. indicative of accumulations of gas or oil in the immediate Oil and gas "signs" in some fields are related to various vicinity. surface indications. These may be divided into two In many localities, a reddish oily scum with iridescent classes: (1) those common to many fields, (2) those colors may be observed on the surface of the water, peculiar to certain fields. around springs, and in moist places. This nearly always In the first class are seepages of oil and gas. The proves to be iron oxide but it is often mistaken for oil. seepages may be far distant from a pool (See fig. 8) and as a general rule the area of seepages is much larger than that of the productive territory. Large and CHAPTER III. THE PORT HURON numerous seepages cannot be regarded as a more FIELD. favorable sign than few and small ones. Some of the best fields gave little or no surface indications of their presence prior to their discovery. Large seepages may EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT. mean a very leaky reservoir and consequently little or no 1 To Mr. C. H. Gordon we owe a full report concerning oil accumulation. Gas seepage is a poor indicator because and gas operations in the vicinity of Port Huron up to marsh gas and other gases form so abundantly in many 1901. For many years it had been known that oil and localities from decaying vegetation near the surface. gas existed in the underlying rocks in the vicinity of Port Huron, especially in the region to the east in western

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 19 of 49 Ontario. In fact, the occurrence of these products in about 15 acres and are operated from a central pumping western Canada is mentioned in the reports of the station (Pl. 1) by a 25 horse power gas engine which Geological Survey of Canada nearly seventy-five years derives its motive power from gas obtained from the ago. wells themselves. Mr. Stock also drilled a number of test wells north and west of Port Huron near Wad-ham's In 1860-61, the small and short lived Oil Springs field Station, at Abbottsford, and in Fort Gratiot township. was struck, and later the Petrolia field was discovered. The latter, parallel to the Oil Springs pool, extends The showings of oil nearly everywhere in the district and northwesterly for a distance of 12 miles nearly to the the energetic example of Mr. Stock incited other men to middle of Sarnia township, across the river from Port undertake development work. Drillings were made on Huron A third pool was found running parallel to the the old Sweitzer farm about three miles north of the other two in Euphemia township. It was this pool which Stock wells; at Valley Centre, and elsewhere. led to the sinking of several wells in Port Huron in 1886- A few years ago the Black River Oil Company drilled a 7. Even before this, several wells had been drilled along number of wells along Black river north of the city. The the river for gas. In nearly all of these, gas was found in company was succeeded in 1913 by the Michigan small or even considerable quantities in the top of the Central Oil Company which has made further Dundee at a depth of about 500 feet. In 1886, C. A. exploration, and a number of their wells are reported to Bailey drilled a number of wells. Well No. 1 (605 A. T.) yield oil in quantities similar to the Stock wells, and also was drilled 500 feet N, 1000 feet W, of the S E cor. of considerable gas. sec. 9, T 6 N, R 17 E, and two others appear to have been drilled in the same immediate vicinity. In these While the quantity of oil is small the wells in the Port wells, the Dundee was struck at 543, 545 and 572 feet Huron district are long lived, most of the Stock wells respectively. Gas was found in small quantities in the having been pumped from 10 to 15 years without surface deposits just above the Antrim black shale, showing any great signs of exhaustion. It is the which is the bed rock in southeastern St. Clair county, permanency of production which has caused the firm and, also, considerable odorless gas was struck near the belief on the part of local prospectors that a large pool bottom of the "top lime" of the Traverse at depths must exist somewhere in the vicinity of Port Huron. This varying from about 280 to 320 feet. The first show of oil, permanency of flow seems to be characteristic of the accompanied by some gas, occurred in the top of the Dundee in Ontario also, as the Petrolia field has been Dundee at about 520 to 525 feet in all of the three wells. producing oil for over 45 years. A year later, F. L. Wells drilled a test well (585 A. T.) 1Ann. Report for 1901, pp. 269-290. 1685 deep on the bank of Black river opposite Kern's brewery. There was a "blow" of odorless gas in the "top GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN WESTERN lime" of the Traverse, similar to those noted in the Bailey ONTARIO. wells, and the usual show of oil and gas in the top of the Dundee which was reached at 515 feet. A pocket of From the study of the large number of drillings in hydrogen sulphide gas under strong pressure was struck western Ontario and at Port Huron, much light has been in the Upper Monroe beds, and the first conspicuous bed thrown upon the character, thickness and depth of the of salt in the Salina seems to have been struck at about rock formations and the local geological structures. 1555 feet. Early geologists supposed that the great Cincinnati and Nashville anticline, on the flanks and near the crests of No further interest was taken in the development of the which the great oil and gas fields of Ohio occur, field until 1898, when Mr. G. B. Stock, an operator from extended northeastward from Ohio through the western the Canadian fields, organized the Michigan end of Lake Erie into western Ontario. This now Development Company and drilled a number of wells on appears to be true only in part. According to E. Coste of what is known as the Goodrich property in the western the Canadian Survey, it runs from about Point Pelee on part of the city very close to the old Bailey wells. Lake Erie through Essex into Kent county and dies out in According to statements of officials of the company, oil in the northeastern part of the latter county. The Trenton relatively small yet commercially important quantities along the supposed axis of the anticline which in Ohio is was struck in all of the wells in the sandy top of the only 350 feet below sea level at Findlay and 800 feet Dundee limestone, which is struck at an average depth near Lake Erie, is 1500 feet below sea level in of about 520 feet in this part of Port Huron. At first, Colchester township, Ontario, 1860 feet at Leamington some of the wells yielded from 2 to 3 barrels per day, but and 2543 feet at Petrolia. Continuing northeastward graudally all of them decreased during the first few from Petrolia the Trenton begins to rise, as it is 2310 feet months until the average yield of each was about one- below sea level near Inwood, 1166 feet at Stratford, 572 half barrel per day. With such shallow and cheap drilling feet at Glen Allen, 310 near Alma, and 350 feet in the field was considered worthy of further development Osprey township, Grey county. and new wells have been drilled from time to time until in 1910 there were twenty-one wells ranging in depth from According to the geological section2 from Hamilton on about 500 to 650 feet, with a total production of about 10 Lake Ontario southwest to Courtright on St. Clair river, barrels per day of 10 hours. The wells are on a tract of there is a steady dip only very slightly interrupted by

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 20 of 49 minor folds and faults in Lambton county in the vicinity of the Petrolia, Moore and Euphemia pools. The line of section, however, is at an acute angle to the axis of the Cincinnati anticline and passes near the bottom of the sag noted above, hence the present drill holes might not show the presence of a gentle arch such as the Cincinnati anticline probably is, if it exists in Lambton county. In Ohio, the Cincinnati anticline is very low in comparison with its great breadth. Superimposed upon it, however, are numerous minor anticlines and structural "benches" or terraces under which are found the many oil and gas pools of Ohio. Likewise in Canada there are local folds and undulations which run, not only parallel to The base of the '' lower lime'' is regarded as the base of the supposed course of the Cincinnati anticline, but also the Traverse (Hamilton) by the Canadian geologists, but transverse to it. From a study of well records it appears Michigan geologists draw the line at the base of the that there are a number of these transverse folds in overlying shale, because this horizon is very sharply Ontario, having two principal courses-one practically separated from the limestone below and therefore easily east and west and the other northwest-southeast. From recognized in drilling. According to Lane's definition, the this, it follows that the structures in general extend Dundee includes all the limestones below the shales toward the Michigan border, and perhaps across it into down to the dolomites or gypsiferous shales of the the state. Apparently this is the case at Port Huron, near Monroe formation. As this well does not reach the Algonac, and at Wyandotte and Stony Island. The Trenton, the record of the Carman well drilled some anticline at Port Huron seems to be directly in line with years later is inserted to show the character, thickness those in Enniskillen township, Lambton county, and and depth of the rocks down to the Trenton inclusive. evidently belongs to the same series. The general dip of the formations is westward from Ontario into Michigan, therefore, according to the anticlinal theory, the oil and gas of the Dundee in the eastern part of Michigan would tend to migrate eastward into Ontario and perhaps much of the oil and gas found in the oil fields of Ontario, especially in the western part, has come from the rocks of eastern Michigan. The Petrolia Field. There are three oil fields in Lambton county -- the Petrolia, the Oil Springs and the Moore. The Petrolia was once the largest and most important field in Ontario. Its wells have been uniformly small but surprisingly long lived. Some of the wells have been pumped for nearly forty-five years, but the production has steadily fallen until the average yield per well is only 8 or 9 gallons per day. Through the use of gas engines, utilizing the gas which flows in considerable quantity from many of the oil wells, more Sarnia Township. As the productive oil territory than a hundred wells have been operated from a single extends northwest into the southeastern part of Sarnia pumping plant. After the pumps have been withdrawn township, and Sarnia lies directly in line of the longer many of the wells are bailed with fair success. diameter of the Petrolia field, there was more or less exploration in the vicinity of Sarnia. In the Petrolia field, the oil occurs in a porous horizon, "the lower lime,” the Dundee (Corniferous), at about 400 In the Dicken's well, located in the southern part of the feet, or about 65 feet below the top of the formation; but, township, no Antrim black shale was found yet, just in other fields, the oil horizon of the Dundee occurs from across the river in Port Huron, it is 82 feet thick in the F. 45 to 170 feet from the top. In Michigan, the oil occurs L. Wells drill hole and 183 feet thick in the Junction well near the top of the formatiom, salt water nearly always in the western part of the city. Evidently the 200 feet of being struck when the formation has been penetrated to surface in the Sarnia well represents an old pre-glacial any considerable depth. channel as the surface materials in Port Huron are only half as thick. The top of the Dundee at Petrolia is 335 The logs of the wells given below show the general feet A. T. and 127 feet A. T. at Sarnia, and this character of the formations in the Petrolia field. represents a drop of 208 feet to the westward in about 15 miles, or a dip of 14 feet per mile.

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 21 of 49 Courtright. Courtright is about 10 miles south of Sarnia on St. Clair river. In a well at this place, the top of the Dundee was struck at 46 feet A. T. or 81 feet lower than in south Sarnia, the average dip to the south being only about 8 feet per mile. The fact that the Dundee is lower both to the north and south of Sarnia indicates that a fold crosses St. Clair river, probably through the southern part of Sarnia into the southern part of Port Huron. As will be seen later, this low fold appears to turn northwest in Port Huron and run along Black river valley. In the King's Gristmill well, Sarnia, one and a half or two 2E. T. Corkill, 14th Rept. Ontario Bull. of Mines, 1905. miles north of the Dicken's well, the drift is only 120 feet thick and there is 36 feet of the Antrim black shale. No EXPLORATIONS IN THE PORT HURON oil was found, but there was a little gas at about 400 FIELD. feet. The Dundee is 32 feet lower than in south Sarnia, showing a dip of nearly 20 feet per mile toward the north. Port Huron. As previously noted, most of the wells in the Port Huron field are in the western part of the city. The G. B. Stock wells on the Goodrich property and the Bailey wells are close together. The former, 21 in number, are owned by the Michigan Development Co. of which E. J. Schoolcraft is president. The output is entirely consumed by the G. B. Stock Xylite Grease and Oil Co. in the manufacture of a superior grade of lubricants, for which the oil is said to be especially adapted. The oil is of a dark and heavy grade and a natural lubricant, being similar to the Petrolia or Lambton county oils which come from the same horizon. The Bailey and the Stock wells are so close together that the log of only one from each group is given.

The oil is found in the first 45 feet of the sandy top of the Dundee. The elevation of the top of the Dundee is 85 feet A. T., or 15 feet higher than in the F. L. Wells well to the eastward, and 23 feet higher than the Bailey No. 1, Plate I. Pumping plant of the Michigan Development one-half mile southwest, and 93 feet higher than the Company, Port Huron. Grand Trunk Junction well one and one-half miles southwest. This indicates the presence of a low anticline Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 22 of 49 between the Junction and the Wells drill holes and in the complete set of samples is inserted with special vicinity of the Stock wells. reference to the character of the rocks encountered.

At 680-685 feet there was "black water,” at the bottom of the well, brine, and a show of oil at 710 feet. The drop of the Dundee from the Stock wells southwest to the Junction well is 92 feet in about a mile.

This drilling is about a mile east and a little north of the Stock wells. The Dundee apparently occurs at 70 feet A. T. in the Wells, bore hole, while to the west in the Stock wells it is 85 feet A. T. and 7 feet below tide in the Junction well. This indicates a westward rise of 15 feet to the Stock wells in about a mile, and then a rapid descent of 92 feet to the Grand Trunk Junction well in about a mile and a half. The first salt in the Salina seems to have been struck at about 1555 feet, which at Petrolia (667 ft. A. T.) in the Carman well (see record on preceding pages) occurs at about 1210 feet. As the distance from the Carman well to the Well’s bore hole is about 15 or 16 miles and the difference in elevation is 427 feet, the dip should be about 27 feet per mile to the northwest, or considerably greater than for the upper formations. The Trenton was struck at 3175 feet or 2508 feet below sea level in the Carman well, and if we assume that the dip is the same for the Trenton as for the top of the Salina, the Trenton at Port Huron should be struck at about 2935 feet below sea level, or 3520 feet below the surface. As many of the deeper formations as the Clinton, Rochester, Medina, and Lorraine are known to vary markedly in the thickness in Ontario, the depth may be considerably more or less than this figure. Marysville. In the Marysville well, four miles south of The Port Huron Salt Company drilled a deep well to the Port Huron, the top of the Dundee is 73 feet lower than rock salt beds. The following record made from a Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 23 of 49 at Port Huron directly north, thus the average dip to the the top of the Traverse must be taken as a basis of south is over 18 feet per mile. Salt water was struck at comparison. In Beard's well, this is struck at 417 feet A. 745 feet and mineral water at 817, 970 and 985 feet. T. and in the Valley Center at 841 feet, or 423 feet lower. The division between the Dundee and the Monroe is not This gives an average dip of about 14 feet per mile to correct as the thickness given for the Dundee is much the northwest. The Traverse formation, however, greater than any observed in Michigan. thickens rapidly to the west, increasing from 313 feet in the Stock wells to practically 500 feet at Beard's. This indicates that the Dundee must dip much more than the figure given above. If we assume that the Traverse is 500 feet thick at Valley Center, (probably it is more, as at Saginaw and Bay City it is 600 to 650 feet thick), the top of the Dundee at Valley Center should be struck at a depth of about 1341 feet, (536 feet below sea level) or respectively 454 and 621 feet lower than at Beard's and at Port Huron. This would give an average dip for the Dundee from Port Huron to Valley Center of nearly 21 feet per mile, and nearly 23 feet from Beard's to the latter place. Wadham's Station. G. B. Stock drilled a well on the farm of Mr. Fair near Wadham's station, which is four or five miles northwest of Port Huron. The Dundee is 141 feet lower than at Port Huron and this is equivalent to a dip of about 35 feet per mile. No oil or gas was reported.

Imlay City. Two deep holes respectively 802 and 1020 Abbotsford. A well was drilled by G. B. Stock on the F. feet deep were drilled by Walker & Co. at Imlay City, A. Beard farm near Abbotsford, which is in Black river Lapeer county, and the record of the deeper one is given valley 10 miles northwest of Port Huron. The top of the below. Dundee was struck at the depth of 737 feet, or but about 25 feet lower than at the Fair well five or six miles to the southeast. This indicates that the steep northwest dip from Port Huron to Wadham's station becomes almost flat from the latter place to Abbotsford. Only a slight flow of oil was struck and this was 76 feet below the top of the Dundee.

Valley Center. Valley Center is 20 miles northwest from Beard's well and 30 miles from Port Huron. Since the top of the Dundee was not reached at Valley Center,

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 24 of 49 south of Lexington there are more than 252 feet of Antrim shale, including a thin bed of limestone at the top. A showing of oil was said to have been struck at 557 feet in the Shaw well, but this was not tested and the well was abandoned. The record of the Pabst well above mentioned is faulty or incomplete, hence of little use in correlating horizons or tracing structures.

THE PORT HURON ANTICLINE. From the data afforded by the numerous borings in the vicinity of Port Huron, a low fold (Fig. 2) crosses St. Clair river from Sarnia, passes northwestward through the southern and western parts of Port Huron, and, veering to the north, extends along Black river. The anticline pitches very gently along its course, and, on the west, it is bordered by a syncline pitching in the same direction. Since the anticline pitches in a general northwesterly direction, the oil and gas would tend to migrate to the southeast along the crest unless arrested by some cross fold, of which there is no present indication.

Fort Gratiot Township. Two wells were drilled on the THE OIL HORIZONS. Sweitzer property, one and a half miles north of the Until a comparatively few years ago, it was supposed Stock wells. The Dundee is about 33 feet deeper than in that the Dundee was the only oil bearing horizon in the latter wells and this indicates a dip of about 20 feet Ontario. Prospecting in the deeper formations disclosed per mile to the north. A show of oil was reported at 558 the fact that the Guelph or Niagara are locally very feet in the No. 1 well and a small quantity was obtained "vesicular” or fissured and contain oil in great quantities. after shooting it at 568 feet. The porous nature of the reservoirs permitted a ready flow of oil and some of the wells yielded more than 1200 barrels per day. This formation also yielded great quantities of gas in Kent and also in Essex county. The Medina with three ''pays'' was also found to be a great gas producer in the Niagara peninsula. The Onondaga in Kent county, however, has four gas horizons. The wells are very large, one producing 7,000,000 cubic feet per day and 17 averaging two and one-half million cubic feet. The Trenton formation, however, has been a source of disappointment wherever struck in Ontario. Conclusions. From the foregoing facts, it is reasonable to conclude that, since the Dundee, Niagara, Medina, and Onondaga are oil bearing in western Ontario, the same formations may be productive a few miles to the west in Michigan, especially in the vicinity of favorable structures such as occur at Stony Island, Wyandotte, and Port Huron.

HURON AND SANILAC COUNTIES. The early salt wells. In the early days of lumbering and salt manufacture, many wells were drilled along the G. B. Stock drilled a well on the farm of Mr. Shaw about Lake Huron shore from Saginaw bay to Sanilac county. six miles north of the Stock wells in Port Huron. In this These wells obtained their brines from the Berea grit, or well, the top of the Dundee occurs at 60 feet above sea from the Richmondville sandstone. The F. Crawford level, or practically at the same height as in the Stock wells at Caseville were from 1760 to 2270 feet in depth, wells. To the north of the Shaw well, the formations are the Pigeon River Furnace Company (later Lake Huron known to descend rapidly, as in the Pabst well 3 miles Iron Co.), 1760 feet, the Port Crescent wells about 1250 feet, Port Austin 1225 feet, Grindstone City 1080 feet, Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 25 of 49 New River 1029 feet, Port Hope Salt Co. 787 feet, CHAPTER IV. THE SOUTHEASTERN Harbor Beach 715 to 1900 feet, and the White Rock wells 700 to 1311 feet. DISTRICT. The brine bearing horizon dips to the westward increasing in depth from 700 to 800 feet at White Rock in INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. the eastern part of Huron county to about 2000 feet in The southeastern district includes that of Port Huron, but the western part. The Berea in Huron county is a coarse for several reasons it has seemed best to discuss the grayish white sandstone full of pure strong brine, but in latter as a separate oil field. The southeastern district, none of the drill holes was the occurrence of either oil or lying close to the Toledo oil fields and to two great gas noted. industrial centers, and including areas in which there are The Geological Sections. As there are no reliable abundant signs of oil and gas, has received a logs of any of these numerous early salt wells, the disproportionate amount of attention in the past from oil following generalized sections showing the probable and gas prospectors. A large number of holes have character and thickness of the formations in Huron and been drilled from Port Huron to the Ohio line. Many of Sanilac counties are inserted. these were drilled for salt or water and others for oil and gas, but in none of them has there been any but the most meager discoveries of either of the latter products.

ROCK STRUCTURES. These explorations indicate that all of the formations from the Ohio line to Macomb county dip in general from 20 to 30 feet per mile to the northwest toward the central part of the basin. The only marked disturbances which break the monotony of this northwestward slope appear to be at Stony Island, Wyandotte, and Algonac. While this general northwest dip of the rocks constitutes a great monocline, a large part of it is included in what is really a very low anticlinal fold extending at least down to the Traverse formation,1 and pitching gently northwest. The limbs of the fold extend from Adrian to Pontiac, a distance of nearly 70 miles, the axis passing through Ann Arbor. The steepest dip at right angles to the axis appear to be not more than 5 to 7 feet per mile. The actual drop of the Antrim from Ann Arbor to Pontiac is 231 feet in 34 miles, and to Adrian on the other side 195 feet in about the same distance. The thicknesses given in the above section are Such a structure might reasonably be expected to estimated mainly from the records of wells in Huron and contain pools of oil and gas, but deep drill holes at Sanilac counties. Since the formations dip to the west, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor encountered no appreciable the depth to a given horizon grows progressively greater quantities of either. In explanation of why this structure in that direction. does not apparently contain these products, Dr. W. H. Sherzer advances the theory, that, since the anticline pitches to the northwest, the oil or gas works its way upward and southeastward along the crest of the anticline to the outcrops of the oil formations in Wayne and Monroe counties, and thus escapes. In this connection, it may be noted that the anticline is so broad, flat, and ill defined that it could have only slight effect on the concentration of oil and gas in bodies of commercial importance. 1W. H. Sherzer, Geological Report of Wayne County, Pub. 12, Geol. Ser. 9, 1911.

RELATION OF SURFACE SIGNS TO OIL AND GAS HORIZONS. Signs of oil and gas abound in the area underlain by the Berea grit and Devonian formations which occur in a belt Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 26 of 49 extending from St. Clair county to the Ohio line. In some it nearly always contains in considerable quantities and places oil accumulates as a scum on ponds, around yields to the overlying drift. springs, and in wells, giving a very offensive odor to the water and rendering it unfit for domestic or stock use. MONROE COUNTY. Some springs give off gas in amounts sufficient for ignition. Gas is struck in surface wells throughout the Monroe county2 lies close to the oil fields of belt underlain by the Devonian formations, and nearly a northwestern Ohio. There is an area in the western part hundred wells in St. Clair, Macomb, Oakland, and where surface signs of oil and gas are especially Wayne counties yield gas enough for household abundant. Naturally it received early attention from oil purposes, many of the wells being utilized by farmers in and gas prospectors. About 15 deep wells have been this way. The pressures vary from a fraction of a pound drilled in the county, of which seven penetrate the to nearly 100 pounds, but range ordinarily between 5 Trenton. and 40 pounds. The life of such wells is generally from 6 The Cincinnati anticline extends in a general to 8 years, but some of them have yielded gas for more northeasterly course from the vicinity of Findlay, Ohio, than 15 years. Others exhaust themselves in a few across Lake Erie into Essex and Kent counties of weeks or months. The shale gas wells are worth Ontario, where it apparently dies out. On either side of utilizing to a much greater extent than they are at the axis the formations slope away at comparatively flat present. One well in Muskegon county, reported to yield dips. The general dip northwestward from the crest into 2500 feet per day, is allowed to run to waste. This well Monroe county is only about 30 feet per mile and there would furnish fuel and light for several ordinary families are apparently no local disturbances in the general Similar surface signs are in the northern part of the State slope. Monroe county is situated well down on the where the Devonian formations underlie the drift. The northwest slope of this great anticline, and, therefore, the Killmaster and Atlanta gas springs are in the vicinity of oil and gas may have been drained to the southeast the Berea horizon, and the gas well at Onekama (Chap. towards the fields of northern Ohio. Apparently the only VIII), Manistee county, struck in January, 1912, is in hope of finding oil in this part of the State lies in the heavy drift directly over the Antrim black shales. presence of local anticlines or terraces of which we now have no knowledge, or in porous areas or lenses sealed The Dundee limestone is locally very bituminous and in by impervious rocks. has a strong oily odor. A semi-fluid bituminous or oily matter is sometimes found in cavities of fossils and in The southeastern part of the county is the most crevices and the whole rock is generally more or less promising portion as it is nearest the crest of the impregnated with oil. The Antrim shale is very black and Cincinnati anticline and the northern Ohio fields. Of the sometimes contains 25 per cent of bituminous matter, 15 or more wells drilled for oil, the one farthest smells strongly of petroleum, and nearly always yields southeast, the Potter well, was the most productive, and small quantities of gas. In places it is so bituminous that the ones farthest away from the axis were "dry" holes. it can be burned. The Potter well, is located in N. W. 1/4, N. W. 1/4, sec. 22, Erie township. It was begun in November and The Traverse formation in the central and northern parts completed December 10, 1899, reaching a depth of of the state is 600 to 650 feet thick, and is known to 1667 feet, and striking the Trenton at 1555 feet. A little produce oil at three different horizons (See Chap. V) at oil and gas were struck. The well has been bailed out Saginaw. In southeastern Michigan, it is much thinner, several times, once yielding about 10 barrels of oil. The being only about 300 feet thick at Port Huron and less gas, with an original pressure of 25 pounds, was piped than 200 feet thick in the southeastern corner of the to the house and used for cooking and lighting purposes. State. The bituminous basal (Bell, or Marcellus) shales Most of the other wells made showings of oil and gas, are not characteristic of the Traverse in the southeastern but none as large as the Potter well. district, and perhaps this explains why it does not yield more abundant signs of oil and gas in this region. Monroe. At Monroe several wells were drilled, three of The Berea sandstone, a coarse gray sandstone full of them to the Trenton. None yielded more than a trace of brine even near its outcrop, is from 100 to 200 feet thick oil and a little gas. The record of the Moore well, as and lies at the base of the Coldwater shales. Its course revised from Vol. VII, Part I, is given below: through Oakland county is apparently marked by a line of brackish or salt wells. It cannot always be recognized in well records that do not go to deeper and more characteristic and recognizable horizons, for, in some localities, stray sandstones very similar in appearance occur in the Coldwater above the Berea horizon. The Berea is generally overlain by a black shale at the base of the Coldwater, known as the Berea or Sunbury shale. Thus the Berea is overlain and underlain by black bituminous formations giving ample sources for the gas

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 27 of 49

Strasburg. About 1907, a well was put down by the Strasburg Oil Company on the Hansberger farm near Strasburg. It reached the Trenton at 1884 feet, and was shot with 200 quarts of nitroglycerin. From 1950 to 1989 feet there was a very small showing of oil and gas. A small now of water was struck between 600 and 625 feet, and a larger now just above 690 feet. A good driller's record and set of samples were obtained from which the following record was compiled by A. C. Lane:

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 28 of 49 possibly belonging to the Sylvania horizon, yielded some gas from 193 to 205 feet. Comparing the record of the Potter well with that of the Dundee the top of the Trenton drops 483 feet in about 15 miles. This is equal to a dip of 32 feet per mile to the northwest.

Note that it changes to limestone in about 10 feet, also Milan. About 1900, a well 890 feet deep was drilled at at Monroe, and the gas is a few feet down. The black Milan just a few rods south of the Washtenaw-Monroe shales appear also above, but the thickness assigned is county line. Later this well was deepened to 1643 feet, very irregular. penetrating the Niagara. Water was struck at various horizons as in the Dundee, below 298 feet in the Upper Monroe, in the Sylvania below 535 feet, and in the Lower Mon-roe at 845 and 890 feet. Probably water was also struck in the top of the Upper Monroe.

Dundee. At Dundee, in the western part of the county and in the old Macon or Christiancy, now Bullock, quarry are two other wells which reached the Trenton. The first was drilled in the quarry then owned by Mr. R. H. Nogard. Owing to the secrecy about the results, the citizens of Dundee inferred that success had been obtained and drilled another well the next year (1888) on the A. Wilkinson farm one mile south of the village. Both wells were failures. The Dundee well penetrated 144 feet of the Trenton formation and a little oil and gas were found, both of which "disappeared.” The sandstone, Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 29 of 49 feet where a light blue shale was struck. After going through this shale a darker limestone than the overlying beds was entered and at about 480 feet gas was struck in considerable quantity, the flow increasing for the next 60 feet. At 700 feet, 100 feet of "light colored rock" was struck. The drilling reached a depth of 1200 feet when work was suddenly stopped. Riga. About 1899, a well 1700 feet in depth was sunk at Riga, Monroe county, but owing to disputes and legal troubles very little was learned of the record. Dr. Lane examined some of the samples from 1165 to 1275 feet and thought that they appeared to be the white dolomites of the Upper Niagara. Judging from other drillings in the county, it is about the depth at which it should occur. South Rockwood. There are several other deep wells in the county of which no log, or at best only a part of a record has been obtained. Near South Rockwood the Frey well, N. E. 1/4 of N. E. 1/4, sec. 33, T. 5 S., R. 10 E., is said to have penetrated 12 feet of salt at about 1200 feet. No mention is made of the occurrence of oil Newport. Northeast of Monroe, a well was drilled on and gas. About 1903 another well, the Lennard, 2430 the estate of C. H. Buhl, Berlin township. From samples feet deep was drilled near the swinging bridge over taken every 20 feet, the following log was compiled. Huron river. The record is very poor and the "sand" in the record may mean only granular limestone or dolomite.

2Sherzer: Monroe County, Vol. VII, Part 1, p. 190.

LENAWEE COUNTY. The belt of rocks over which surface signs are most abundant in southeastern Michigan crosses the northwestern part of Monroe into Lenawee county and consequently exploration has extended westward into the latter county. There are a number of deep wells in this county, chiefly in the eastern half as at Britton, Blissfield, Adrian and Clinton.

Adrian. At Adrian a well 1650 feet in depth was drilled Ida. In 1893, a deep well was drilled at Ida from which a by the Adrian Gas Co. It probably reached the top of the more complete record was obtained than from the Potter Salina, but does not appear to have encountered any well. This is located on the Simeon Van Akin property, N. marked signs of either oil or gas. The Berea was E. J of N. E. J, sec. 3 of Ida township. The altitude of the present as a gray sandstone and the Antrim as a brown well is about 640 feet A. T. A pipe was driven 22 feet shale. Inasmuch as drillers make no distinction between into the rock before drilling began. Ten feet of ''common limestone and dolomite the Dundee cannot be separated limerock" was found to overlie 45 feet of Sylvania in the record. Water or brine was probably struck in the sandstone. Gray limestone (dolomite) followed to 320 Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 30 of 49 Berea, though not noted in the records; mineral water was encountered at 805 feet, sulphur water at about 940 feet, brine in the Upper Monroe at about 1135 feet, and more brine in the Lower Monroe at 1520 feet.

Manchester. Six miles southeast of Manchester a well was drilled about 1904 by the Manchester Oil Co. It is said to have reached only a depth of 690 feet and appears to have stopped in the Traverse shales. There is some doubt as to the exact correlations, but the record as made from well samples by the U. S. Geological Survey is given below.

Britton. The Britton well, 1700 feet in depth, was drilled about 1900. At 1400 feet and at 1500 feet brown oily dolomites were struck as in many other wells in southeastern Michigan, but no showing of oil was observed. On the lot of John Wiggin in Britton near the above well, a shallow one 90 feet deep was put down for water and a pocket of gas was struck, the glow of which, when lighted, could be seen in Tecumseh about six miles away. The original pressure increased from 35 to 41 pounds, which would be about equal to the hydrostatic head. "The samples from 600 feet down might quite likely be Traverse or they might be a gray streak in the Antrim. From 327 feet down to 600 feet, or thereabouts, should be Antrim." --Lane. According to Lane, this well is near and perhaps the same well as that of U. Arnold about two miles from Clinton, sec. 2, T. 4 S., R. 3 E. In the Arnold well, brine was reported at about 1000 feet. Madison Township. In 1905 the Madison Oil & Gas Co. drilled a well 764 feet in depth on the Snedeker farm, N. E. ¼ of sec. 15, T. 7 S., 3 E. From the character of the water near the bottom of the well Dr. Lane believes that it did not reach the Dundee oil horizon. Water was struck in the black shales of the Antrim from 612 to 618 feet. At this horizon there was a trace of gas also. To have reached the Trenton the well very probably would have had to go 2000 feet below the base of the Antrim.

Blissfield. The Blissfield well, one of the deepest in the southeastern district, penetrated the Trenton, but unfortunately only a meager record from memory could be obtained.

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 31 of 49

"The beds in which the well closes are probably not much above those in which is the top of the Wyandotte well, which struck Trenton rock at 2610 feet. The. limestone at 665 or 700 feet probably corresponds to Osseo. At Osseo, C. M. DeWitt drilled a well 1430 feet that at 420 feet in the Blissfield well, which reached the in depth. According to Mr. DeWitt, gas and oil were Trenton at 2342 feet; and to that at 350 to 385 feet struck just below black and brown shales (Antrim) from beneath South Bend, where the Trenton was reached .at 1219 to 1259 feet, gas again at 1380 feet and oil and 1585 feet. The salt beds along Detroit River thin rapidly gas below 1400 feet. The "big flow" of gas came at to the south and west, but at Adrian from the Devonian 1400 feet, and the oil just below 1420 feet. The first oil black shale or Antrim down to the Trenton is probably and gas horizon appears to be in the top of the Traverse, not less than 2000 feet. In view of the dolomitic while the lower one is quite probably in the Dundee. An character of the limestone, the strength of the water and Atrypa reticularis from the oil horizon, indicates that it its relative freedom from sulphur I do not think this well was probably that of the "bastard Trenton" or Dundee, has yet reached the Dundee, the oil bearing horizon of and certainly not that of the Trenton proper. Port Huron and Canada around Petrolia. Two hundred feet more should go well into it.” --Lane. The well was filled for about 150 feet with stone and cement and the gas rock above was shot. The gas, HILLSDALE COUNTY. originally having a pressure of about 70 pounds, was nearly sufficient to fire the 25 H. P. engine used in Hillsdale. Several deep wells have been drilled in pumping the mineral water which was struck in Hillsdale county. At Hillsdale two were bored in the abundance below 1229 feet. The pressure has since courthouse square, respectively 1350 and 1550 feet in decreased to about 38 pounds. According to Mr. DeWitt, depth. The log of the deeper well, given below is a very the cement filling in the bottom of the well did not set, or poor record compiled from hearsay accounts. only partially, so that a heavy lubricating oil can be obtained after the 1100 foot head of water is pumped off. The exact top of the Dundee is not certain from the above record, but it is probably between 1380 and 1400 feet. From this, the dip north-northeast to Jackson would be about 20 feet per mile. Making the comparison for the base of the Antrim in the two wells, the dip is a little over 22 feet per mile.

WAYNE COUNTY. Trenton. In Wayne county, wells are very numerous, especially along Detroit river where many have been put down for salt (Fig. 9). At Trenton there are six wells of which the record of No. 5 of Church & Company is given below. The well yielded an odor of gas at the bottom.

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 32 of 49

No rock salt was struck in this well, but, in the other Church & Co. wells located 200 to 300 feet north, a single bed, varying in the different wells from 5 to 33 feet in thickness, was penetrated. This well indicates the exact southern limit of the salt beds.

Grosse Isle. Judge James Swan in 1903-04 drilled a 3 Figure 9. Map showing the location of salt blocks and salt deep well for oil or gas in the southwestern part of wells in Wayne county (after C. W. Cook.) Grosse Isle just opposite Snake Isle and about three quarters of a mile from the extreme southern point of the A partial record of this well was obtained by Mr. Forest island. No oil or gas in any noteworthy amount was H. Brown for the Michigan Geological Survey in July struck, though the well reached a depth of 2375 feet. 1903, when it was about 785 feet deep. According to Enormous flows of water were struck at various depths. the record then obtained, the well had penetrated 14 feet The first considerable flow was at 420 feet, and the of clay, 300 feet of “limestone” and 70 feet of "sand." second at 450 feet was much larger. Both were fresh The latter is the Sylvania. This would give an elevation though the water had an odor of "sulphur" probably from of 268 feet above tide for the top of this formation, the sulphur dioxide gas. The deeper flows were much mouth of the well being about 580 feet A. T. Across smaller and sulphuretted. The water, which is potable, Detroit river at Elliot's Point, Ontario, the Sylvania is at first escaped from the 13 inch casing to the enormous struck at a depth of 69 feet and on the farm just north of quantity of 4,320,000 gallons in 24 hours -- enough to the Point at 42 feet. This Indicates that the Sylvania dips supply the whole water front from Detroit to Lake Erie sharply to the northwest, the dip being over 60 feet per several times over. mile. It must be remembered, however, that this formation is very variable in thickness within short distances, hence abnormal dips may be due merely to local thickening or thinning. Romulus Township. In 1903, a well 1820 feet deep was drilled by Newell for Laurence and Griffith on the Emil Twark farm, section 12, Romulus township.

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 33 of 49 records of only three of the wells are given below. The others are very similar.

Wyandotte. Many years ago a well was drilled at Wyandotte to the Trenton, which was reached at 2610 feet. According to A. C. Lane, the record is that of the driller and is apparently not very trustworthy. Notes in parenthesis are by Lane and A. Winchell. The Morton Salt Co. of Wyandotte drilled a well a few years ago to the bottom of the “Big Salt.” A very complete set of samples was obtained from which the following record was compiled by Dr. Lane. The first salt The Sylvania sandstone was reached at 415 feet, was struck at 730 feet and the Sylvania at 197 feet, or considerably deeper than in River Rouge and about 40 feet higher than at Trenton, indicating a low Wyandotte. arch in the vicinity of Wyandotte. River Rouge. In the River Rouge, but at some distance Many other wells have been drilled at Wyandotte for salt, toward Wyandotte, the River Rouge Improvement of which the Michigan Alkali Company have about Company drilled a well for the United Alkali Company, twenty-five. The record of one of these wells (known as striking salt at 815 feet. Near the River Rouge, Mr. the Ford wells) shows five salt horizons, the first salt Dalton put down wells for the Tecumseh Salt Company, coming in at about 830 feet. in which the Sylvania sandstone was struck from 365 to 492 feet and yielded heavy flows of sulphuretted water. Delray. In Delray, the Solvay Process Co. have a large In a well at Brownlee & Company's sawmill (578± feet A. number of wells down to the Salina for salt, which, in the T.), Ecorse, the salt was struck at 875 feet and the vicinity of their Delray plant, is struck from 865 to 890 Sylvania at 395 feet. feet. No noteworthy amounts of oil or gas were struck in any of the drillings. The Niagara is apparently over 1600 Oakwood. One of the most important records showing feet deep. The "Big Salt" is near the bottom in all of the the exact nature of the rock formations, their thickness wells, but according to Sherzer, this bed in the Eureka and the water horizons, is that obtained from the Iron Company's well is underlain by over 300 feet of Oakwood salt shaft near Detroit. The first attempt4 to dolomite, hence it is near the middle of the Salina. In sink a shaft for mining rock salt was made in 1902, but such case, all of the wells in the vicinity of Detroit this was a failure owing to the collapse of the brick drop represent only partial sections of the Salina. The casing. The second attempt was successful only after the greatest difficulty in overcoming suffocating gases Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 34 of 49 and floods of water. When the shaft was 420 feet in depth Mr. E. Bradt, the engineer, estimated that the total flow into the shaft was 2,000,000 gallons per minute. The Dundee limestone yielded so much hydrogen sulphide gas that the workmen were overcome or their eyes painfully affected. Operations were stopped for some months from this difficulty.

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 35 of 49 asphaltum streaks occurred in the Lucas dolomites of the Upper Monroe. Fort Wayne. Just below Fort Wayne, Detroit, the Edison Power and Light Company have put down a number of deep wells, of which a log of their No. 1 is given below.

Windsor, Ontario. Across the Detroit river in Windsor the Canadian Pacific railroad drilled a number of wells. Their No. 11 well shows that the Sylvania is 590 feet Strong flows of water were struck at six different below the surface and the first salt at 1167 feet. This horizons, viz.: In the drift, just over the bed rock, in the indicates a rapid deepening north from Wyandotte. Dundee, and in the Upper Monroe. There was also a seepage flow in the Sylvania. The great flow of water from a 5 foot horizontal opening was finally shut off by forcing in a slush of concrete cement under a pressure of 1200 pounds per square inch. No gas outside of the H2S gas was observed at any of the horizons, but

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 36 of 49 3W. H. Sherzer, Geology of Wayne County, Pub. 12, Geol. Surv. 9, 1911, p. 249. 4Sherzer: Geology of Wayne county, Pub. 12, Geol. Ser. 9, 1911, pp. 279-280.

LOCAL STRUCTURES IN SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN. The strike of the rock formations from the Ohio line through Monroe county is in general northeast, but in Wayne county it becomes almost due east, the strata apparently lapping around the end of the Cincinnati anticline in Essex and Kent counties, Ontario. The general dip of the Sylvania in Monroe county is therefore northwest, and from the quarries of the National Silica Company (Sec. 2, Raisinville Twp.) to Ann Arbor the 6 average is over 38 feet per mile. In Wayne county, however, the average dip of the strata cannot be Detroit. The Stroh Brewing Company's well, excepting accurately determined owing to the lack of reliable data. the Wyandotte well, is the deepest boring along Detroit Northward along Detroit river the dip of the Sylvania river and may have reached the Niagara. The record as varies from 27 to 32 feet per mile, and westward from given below is one obtained from verbal reports and is Detroit to Ann Arbor, a distance of 32.5 miles, the lacking in detail. Dundee and Sylvania dip respectively 15.7 and 14.7 feet per mile. The Royal Oak and Pontiac wells are nearly in the proper position from Detroit to give the true dip of the formations, but unfortunately comparison cannot be made for the Dundee in either the Royal Oak or the Pontiac well, since the formation cannot be distinguished from the Monroe. If the Sylvania is taken as a basis for comparison, the dip north-northwest from Detroit into Oakland county is about 21 to 22 feet per mile, therefore the average dip of the rocks in Wayne county is probably not over 25 feet per mile in the same general direction. Wyandotte Anticline. While the general dip of the rock strata in Monroe county is to the northwest at not over North Detroit. The Detroit Natural Gas Co. drilled a 40 feet per mile, and in Wayne county is north-northwest well in North Detroit to the depth of 770 feet striking a at perhaps less than 25 feet per mile, the local dips are small quantity of gas with water in the surface gravels not only discordant but much greater, indicating local and in the Antrim black shales just below the drift. warping and folding. At South Rockwood, the Sylvania is about 565 feet above sea level, but to the northeast in the Swan well, Grosse Isle, it is only 266 feet A. T. From the latter well northward to Trenton and beyond the Sylvania rises to 290 and 300 feet A. T. in the Church wells, to 350 feet A. T. at the Eureka Iron Works, and 388 feet A. T. in the Morton Salt Company wells, Wyandotte. Northeastward from the latter place, the Salina begins to deepen, being struck in the Ford wells at Ford City at 345 and 230 feet A. T., 180 feet and 142 feet A. T. in Ecorse, and 155 feet A. T. in the Oakwood salt shaft. At River Rouge, there is a rise to 210 feet A. T., but to the north and northeast the descent is rapid, as at Fort Wayne the Sylvania occurs at 135 feet A. T., in Windsor 60 to 70 feet A. T., and at Stroh's Brewery on Gratiot avenue, Detroit, the Sylvania is 5 feet below sea level. The salt horizons show a similar rise from Trenton Eloise. An 850 foot well was drilled for gas by C. C. to Wyandotte, and then a sudden deepening to the Nims at the Wayne County Infirmary at Eloise. The well northeast. (See references in record of Morton Salt (625 ft. A. T.) struck the Traverse formation at 130 feet Company well.) and this yielded a flow of fresh water. A strong mineralized brine was struck in the Monroe Group with From the foregoing facts, it appears that the crest of an some indications of oil. anticline crosses Detroit river from Ontario and passes Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 37 of 49 near Wyandotte. According to Sherzer,7 the axis of the of brines from the Berea grit, the Traverse and Dundee anticline strikes south 60° west through a point about limestones. The oldest well is the Cornwell mineral well, five miles north of the Woolmith quarry (sec. 29, Exeter 750 feet in depth, on the flats along Huron river. Only a Twp.), Monroe county. poor record of this is available; and of the Moorman well, about 965 feet deep, there is only the record of the Stony Island Anticline. In deepening the Livingston casing. Fresh water was struck in the latter between channel at the Lime Kiln Crossing in Detroit river, a 125 and 150 feet, and the first flow of mineral water was cofferdam was constructed exposing the river bed for struck at 400 feet, which was saltier than the lower one. more than a mile. In excavating the channel through the Gas (H S) was struck at about 550 feet. ledge of limestone, which crosses the river at this point, 2 a cut 3500 feet long was made through limestone strata It is to be noted in the Atlantis and the Banner Oil which dip steeply toward the southwest instead of Company wells that the Berea sandstone at the base of northeast, as indicated by the drillings along Detroit river. the Coldwater is not a definitely recognizable horizon, In the northern portion of the exposed area near the though at Ann Arbor in the Court House well Rominger head of Stony Island, a pronounced anticlinal fold8 correlated 92 feet of coarse gray brine bearing extends across the river in an east-west direction. The sandstone with this horizon. dip on the south limb, according to Sherzer, is 1°58', or about 180 feet per mile in a direction S. 50° W. Eastward in the Anderdon quarry on the Canadian side of Detroit river the dip is much steeper, being over 300 feet per mile in a direction S. 23° W., and, in the Patrick quarry on the south end of Grosse Isle, the dip is S. 30° W., and ranges from 1½ to 2°, or about 140 to 185 feet to the mile. The extent of the area over which the steep southwesterly dips prevail indicate that the fold is of considerable magnitude, apparently much larger and more pronounced than the anticline near Wyandotte. In the Sibley quarry, the rock strata have been disturbed as the strata dip in a direction 5° south of west instead of north-northwest, and at 200 to 230 feet per mile. In the Christiancy or Bullock quarry on the Macon river two miles northeast of Dundee, the dip is only about 25 feet per mile west-northwest, while at Dundee it is nearly 120 In 1904 the Banner Oil and Gas Company and the feet. Such striking irregularities in dip, and the presence Ypsilanti Development Company drilled another well at of at least two anticlines, are indicative of favorable Ypsilanti on the Cramer farm about 300 feet from the old conditions for the occurrence of oil and gas, but so many Cornwell well and near the city water works. holes have been drilled to the Salina horizon in Monroe and Wayne counties without striking any noteworthy amounts of either oil or gas, that the chances for finding these mineral products in large quantity in strata above the Niagara do not seem promising. A few miles east of Detroit river in Ontario, oil and gas have been found in great quantities in the Niagara and the Medina especially. Possibly these formations, particularly in the vicinity of the Stony Island and Wyandotte anticlines, may likewise contain .oil and gas in large amounts. 6W. H. Sherzer: Geology of Wayne county, Pub. 12, Geol. Surv. 9, 1911, pp. 206. 7The Monroe Formation, Pub. 2, Geol. Ser. 1, Geol. and Biol. Surv., 1909, p. 57. 8W. H. Sherzer: Geology of Wayne county, Pub. 12, Geol. Ser. 9, p. 214.

WASHTENAW COUNTY. West and northwest of Detroit toward the center of the Michigan Basin wells have been drilled at Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor. There are two wells at Ann Arbor; one, Ypsilanti, Royal Oak and Pontiac. known as the old Court House well, was reported by Winchell and Rominger and the other, the Campus well Ypsilanti. A number of wells have been drilled at of the University, is given below. Samples were taken Ypsilanti for sulphuretted brines derived from the mixture Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 38 of 49 for the Survey by Prof. Russell and careful notes were Royal Oak. Two wells have been drilled at Royal Oak, made by Prof. EL D. Campbell of the University and Mr. one 1400 feet in depth and the other 2502 feet Frueauff of the Ann Arbor Argus. penetrated the Salina for more than 900 feet. The record of the deeper well is given below. Little or no signs of oil or gas were noted anywhere in the drilling, although there were numerous shale gas wells in the drift in southeastern Oakland county. Mutual Oil & Gas Company's Well, Royal Oak. In 1913, a test well, for oil was projected by the Mutual Oil & Gas Company of Detroit. Fifty acres of land near Royal Oak were bought and capitalized at $162,000. The land was divided into 5400 parcels 20 feet square, which were to be sold at $30.00 each. A certain portion of the proceeds was to pay for the land, another the promoters for their work in organizing the company and selling the stock, and the third portion for the drilling. In such stock schemes, the charges for purchasing the land and promoting the enterprise are so great that there is relatively little money available for actual drilling. The test well was to be drilled on land which has one or more surface gas wells. The idea was, that by going deeper, larger quantities of gas would be struck. As the numerous "shale gas” wells in Oakland county are in the belt underlain by the black Sunbury shale, the Berea grit and the Antrim black shale, the gas in the drift is undoubtedly a leakage from these formations. Any well more than a few hundred feet deep will pass completely through these petroliferous formations. Royal Oak well is well down the northeast limb of the low broad anticline between Pontiac and Adrian with its crest near Ann Arbor, and therefore it is apparently in an unfavorable OAKLAND COUNTY. position. The above project was finally abandoned without doing any drilling.

Pontiac. The Pontiac Natural Gas & Oil Company, drilled a well 1505 feet deep at Pontiac, Oakland county. A little gas was found between 1305 and 1310 feet, and also in the limestone at 1497 feet. The Berea sandstone, although exceptionally thick and overlain and

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 39 of 49 underlain by bituminous shales, apparently gave little that there is a great discordance in the dip of the strata sign of either oil or gas. in Macomb and southern St. Clair counties. South Lyon. At South Lyon (sec. 30, T. 1 N., R. 7 E.), a Mt. Clemens. The record of the Mt. Clemens No. 3 well well was drilled to 1350 or 1400 feet in depth, but only a shows that the base of the Dundee horizon drops from meager record is available. Rock was struck at about 70 145 feet in the Oak-wood salt shaft to 400 feet below the feet, mineral water above 800 feet, and limestone surface and the Sylvania from 410 to 965 feet. The dip (Traverse and Dundee probably) from 1000 feet to the of the latter is, therefore, about 21 feet per mile and of bottom. Above 1000 feet are sandstones and shales, the former only about 8 or 9 feet. the latter in places black.

New Baltimore. The Dundee drops from 400 feet a Mt. Clemens to 690 feet below the surface at New Baltimore. This indicates a dip of about 32 feet per mile to the northeast, or three times as great as that from the Oakwood salt shaft to Mt. Clemens, and probably greater than the average north-northwest dip in Wayne county, although accurate calculations cannot be made for the latter on account of the lack of reliable data.

Figure 10. Map showing the location of salt blocks and salt wells along St. Clair river (after C. W. Cook).

MACOMB COUNTY. Northeastward from Detroit to Port Huron numerous wells have been drilled for salt, oil, or mineral water. (Fig. 10.) Many wells have been drilled at Mt. Clemens for Mineral water and at Marine city and St. Clair for salt. The records of these and other wells indicate not only Romeo. At Romeo, a well 1575 feet in depth was that the strike of the formations becomes easterly, but drilled by M. Porter for the village in a vain search for Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 40 of 49 potable water. The brine, or mineral water struck in the New Baltimore is about 10 miles north of west from lower part of the well rose about 1000 feet. The record, Algonac and the Dundee drops about 175 feet, or about as furnished by Fred E. Hipp, cannot be satisfactorily 17 feet per mile from Algonac to the former place. This correlated. A sandstone from 180 to 240 feet apparently is much less than the northeasterly dip from Mt. corresponds to the Richmondville, but it may be the Clemens to New Baltimore, although the maximum dip Berea since in a well drilled by O. N. Phillips on the D. should be in general northwesterly toward the central M. Ferry & Company farm, sec. 23, Avon township, basin. Oakland county, a brine bearing sandstone overlain by 45 feet of black shale was struck at 230 feet. The driller, Marine City. There are a large number of wells at upon being shown samples of Berea sandstone and Marine City which penetrate the salt beds. The records Sunbury shale from the Saginaw wells, pronounced of seven of these wells are given in Volume V, but three, them identical in character with the rocks encountered in the Lester and Roberts, the National Salt Company, and the Ferry well, and in many other wells drilled by him in the Morley are given below as representative of the Oakland and northwest Wayne county. The sandstone others. The record of one of the Michigan Salt Co. wells, and shale correspond to the Berea and Sunbury located south of the city, is also given. Some oil was respectively, yet it cannot be asserted that the upper struck in the National Salt Company's well in the top of sandstone at Romeo corresponds to the Berea horizon, the Salina. as stray sandstones resembling the Berea are known to occur in the lower part of the Coldwater shales. The correlations as given in the record below are merely tentative.

St. Clair. The Diamond Crystal Salt Company have

drilled a number of wells to the salt beds and preserved good sets of samples. In one of their first wells, the ST. CLAIR COUNTY. Dundee was struck at 790 feet, and this indicates a decided dip amounting to about 25 feet per mile north Algonac. Just south of Algonac on St. Clair river, a well from Marine City. To the north of St. Clair, however, 1727 feet in depth penetrates the salt beds of the Salina. there is a rise again, since at Marysville, the Dundee is This well is either so far east that it is beyond the limits struck at 582 feet and at Port Huron 542 feet. of the Antrim black shale, or the well is over a rock valley where the black shale is cut out by erosion. The The records of other wells given in Vol. V showed very Sylvania is not present as a sandstone; apparently it is similar depths for the Dundee and the drop of the represented by a sandy dolomite. Dundee is so great from Marine City on the south and from Port Huron on the north that doubt was thrown on the correlations. The careful record of the Diamond Crystal Salt Co. well apparently substantiates the correctness of the older correlations. Across the river, however, in Courtright, the Dundee is apparently struck at 542 feet, or nearly 250 feet higher. This rise is so abrupt as to indicate a fault along the river or a pronounced fold to the east in Ontario; otherwise the correlations in the record of the Courtright well must be greatly in error. Present evidence indicates that the correlations in the latter record are incorrect.

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 41 of 49

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 42 of 49

LOCAL STRUCTURE IN MACOMB AND SOUTHERN ST. CLAIR COUNTY. In the Pontiac well, the top of the Dundee cannot be determined, but using the base of the Antrim as a basis of comparison, the dip from Mt. Clemens to Pontiac is about 20 feet per mile to the west. Northeastward to New Baltimore the dip for the Dundee is over 32 feet to the mile, eastward to Algonac, 8 feet, and south of east to Wallaceburg, Ontario, about 15 feet. These discordant dips indicate the presence of an anticline of considerable extent in the vicinity of Mt. Clemens, but the available data does not indicate the precise position. Its axis apparently pitches in a general northwesterly direction. At Algonac, the top of the Dundee occurs at 71 feet above sea level, and, using this horizon as a basis of comparison, the dip northwest to New Baltimore is over 17 feet per mile, north to Marine City and St. Clair, 15 and 18 feet respectively, northeast to Fort Lambton, Ontario, apparently 66 feet, and southeast to Wallaceburg, Ontario, about 30 feet per mile. According to this, another anticline exists near Algonac, but the great discordance in the several dips makes its position and course very uncertain. A further study of the records of wells in Macomb and St. Clair counties and in Ontario tends to show that there are perhaps a series of anticlines and synclines in the region under discussion. A large syncline appears to extend northwest from Chatham, Ontario, through Wallaceburg toward Fort Lamb-ton; a low anticline or terrace at Marine City, and a syncline at St. Clair. Future drilling may show that faulting plays an important part in causing the sudden ONTARIO. and discordant dips in Macomb and southern St. Clair Wallaceburg. Wallaceburg, Ontario, is about 8 miles counties. south of east from Algonac. At the former place the Conclusions. In conclusion, it may be said that the Dundee was struck at 750 feet, much lower than at records indicate that there is marked warping and Algonac (513 feet) and the dip southeast to Wallaceburg folding, or perhaps faulting, in the rock strata in Macomb from Algonac appears to be nearly 30 feet per mile. and southern St. Clair counties, and that there are pronounced anticlinal structures in the vicinity of Mt. Clemens and Algonac. The drill holes, however, are so

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 43 of 49 located that while they show the presence of anticlines shallow salt (fig. 11) wells along Saginaw river, drawing and synclines they do not clearly indicate their position brine from the Upper Marshall sandstone. or direction. Such disturbances in general form Further evidence was afforded by drill holes at Midland, favorable conditions for the occurrence of oil and gas, Caseville, Blackmar, Flint, Owosso, and St. Charles. and it is not improbable that future drilling, especially to The two deep wells at Bay City were of great value in the Niagara and Medina, may show that some of these giving a general idea of the probable thickness and structures contain oil and gas in commercial amounts as character of the formations below the Marshall brine they do a few miles east in Ontario. horizons. The center of the Michigan Basin appears to lie in CHAPTER V. THE SAGINAW OIL Midland and Isabella counties. Saginaw and Bay City FIELD. are east of the center, therefore the strata in the vicinity of these places have a general westerly dip which, on the average, is about 20 feet per mile. Since Saginaw is THE SAGINAW VALLEY DEVELOPMENT somewhat nearer the central basin corresponding strata COMPANY. at Saginaw should be deeper than at Bay City. Some years ago Dr. A. C. Lane, then State Geologist of Upon platting the records of the salt wells along Saginaw Michigan, wrote an article upon the oil and gas river the Napoleon, or Upper Marshall sandstone, prospects in Saginaw Valley. This article appeared in instead of being deeper at Saginaw is apparently 200 to the Michigan Miner of Saginaw and created considerable 300 feet higher than at Bay City. This sandstone rises interest at the time, especially at Saginaw. Nothing gradually from a depth of about 1900 feet in Bay City to came of it, however, and the article was forgotten until a about 610 feet in the old Wylie well near Bristol street reprint fell into the hands of some enterprising Saginaw bridge in Saginaw, and then descends to the southwest. business men in the winter of 1912. They became very Southeast of Saginaw near Blackmar and at Flint, the much interested in the oil and gas possibilities of Marshall and the Berea are apparently much higher than Saginaw Valley, as portrayed by Dr. Lane, and soon to the east or west of these places. North of Saginaw, interested other business men of Saginaw. The the Ralston well, sec. 4, T. 13 N., R. 4 E., and many Saginaw Valley Development Company was soon other drillings for coal indicate a pronounced upward fold organized for the purpose of drilling three test wells, two in the Coal Measures. The Marshall and the Coldwater to the Berea grit, and a third to a depth of 3500 feet or also appear to be somewhat higher in the Page Oil & more, unless oil or gas should be struck in commercial Gas Company's well (sec. 26, T. 14 N., R. 4 E.), than quantity before that depth was reached. The officers of farther east along Saginaw river. At Kawkawlin, the the company were Wallis Craig Smith, president; Clark brine horizons are between 700 and 800 feet deep, or L. Ring, vice-president; and N. N. Rupp, secretary and considerably shallower than in Bay City to the southeast. treasurer. At their request, the officials of the company Apparently this fold (Fig. 11), should run slightly west of were given a compilation and interpretation of the data north through Saginaw near Bristol street bridge to a by the Geological Survey which, though meager and point two or three miles west of Kawkawlin. inconclusive, was deemed sufficiently favorable to Southeast of Saginaw at Balckmar, the Marshall and the warrant a test of the Saginaw territory. Berea occur in wells at 360 and 1545 feet, and at Flint 170 and 1200 feet respectively. As these formations are known to occur at greater depths east and west of these places, it appears that the anticline turns southeast toward Blackmar and Flint, but the evidence is not conclusive as the records of the drill holes at these places are of doubtful accuracy. As the Marshall appears to be only about 360 feet deep at Blackmar, 610 feet at Saginaw, and about 700 feet at Kawkawlin, the structure apparently pitches gently to the north. On the whole, the evidence seems fairly conclusive that a pronounced anticlinal fold exists in the strata down to the Marshall at least, and presumably much deeper, but its exact position and course are not so clearly indicated. Explorations of the Saginaw Valley Development Co. Plate II. The Garey-Casamer No. 1 Well, Saginaw. tend to prove the general correctness of this conclusion.

THE SAGINAW ANTICLINE. THE EXPLORATIONS. Most of the evidence indicating favorable structural The company spent some time in obtaining reliable conditions for the occurrence of oil and gas in the region contractors and made careful preparations to do the was derived from the numerous and comparatively exploratory work in the most accurate and scientific Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 44 of 49 manner possible. Ten wells were drilled, two to the The Berea yielded some brine and a little gas, but no Traverse, and the other eight to the Dundee. Accurate sign of oil. At the depth of 2246 feet the drilling was records were kept and full sets of samples taken for the abandoned, but later in the spring of 1913 it was Michigan Geological Survey, and the resulting deepened to the Dundee, no noteworthy quantities of information concerning the underlying rock strata in either oil or gas being struck anywhere. The Traverse Saginaw Valley nearly to the base of the Dundee may be and the Dundee were struck at 2513 and 3130 feet, or considered as the most reliable and complete that has 100 and 140 feet higher respectively than in the South ever been obtained from any one set of deep holes Bay City well, and about 230 feet lower than in the drilled anywhere in Michigan. Saginaw wells. Garey-Casamer No. 1. Another well was drilled near the site of- the Wylie Bros, well on what is known as the Garey-Casamer lease. (Pl. II). The Upper Marshall, or Napoleon, was encountered at 610 feet, or 170 feet higher than in the Mundy-Fifield well, and 210 feet higher than in the well in South Bay City. The Berea was encountered at 1833 feet, or 233 feet higher than in the Mundy-Fifield well, and 265 feet higher than at South Bay City. It is to be noted from the foregoing records that the fold becomes more pronounced with depth. As in the Mundy-Fifield well, the Berea proved to be a small yielder of brine, perhaps 25 barrels per day, and gas. Drilling was continued with the intention of going down to the Dundee, supposed to be 900-1000 feet below. At 2305 feet the Traverse formation was entered and oil of the highest grade was struck at 2317 feet in a sandy or cherty limestone. The so-called "sand" since called the “Saginaw sand,” was very thin, probably being not much over two feet thick. According to statements of officials of the company, the well made two flows of some 40 or 50 barrels of oil altogether. The indications were that a 25 to 30 barrel well had been struck. The well was shot with 100 quarts of nitroglycerine. As soon as pumping began, however, it was found that the casing was leaking, and after the first 75 or 80 barrels, the production of oil fell off rapidly until the well yielded only about three or four barrels of Figure 11. Map of the Saginaw Oil Field showing the location oil per day with about 25 barrels of water. After much of borings, the Saginaw Anticline, and the contours of depth of trouble, the water was finally shut off by the use of the Marshall Sandstone below the surface in Saginaw Valley. rubber packers, but the production was not materially increased. Finally the well was reshot with 20 quarts of Mundy-Fifield Well. The first well drilled by the nitroglycerine, but the casing was loosened so that the Saginaw Valley Development Company was located water was again troublesome. After continuous pumping near the S. E. corner of the N. W. ¼ of sec. 27, T. 13 N, for some months without increasing the production, the R. 5 E, Buena Vista township, Saginaw county, although well was pumped only intermittently with the Jackson- from the evidence then at hand, this location was four or Church and the Cresswell wells in the same vicinity, the five miles east of the axis of the supposed anticline. In production finally decreasing to almost nothing. this well, known as the Mundy-Fifield, the Marshall sandstone was struck at 780 feet, or 40 feet higher than Jackson-Church Well. The next well, No. 3, was in the South Bay City (North American Chemical Co.) drilled on the Jackson-Church property near the west well to the north in sec. 5, T. 13 N., R. 5 E., but fully 170 end of Bristol St. bridge on Niagara St. and about 600 feet lower than the supposed depth to the Napoleon at feet west of south from the Garey-Casamer well. The the Old Wylie well on Niagara street about 800 feet north Marshall, Berea, and the Traverse were struck of Bristol street bridge. approximately at the same depth as the latter well, but The Berea was struck at 2070 feet, or 30 feet higher no sandy limestone or oil “sand” was found at the top of than in the South Bay City well. All of the formations the Traverse. The “Saginaw sand,” as the oil horizon in from the Marshall down were found to be higher than the Garey-Casamer well is called, appeared to have corresponding ones in the Bay City wells, but much pinched out, and there was not the slightest show of oil lower than at Saginaw, as shown by later drillings. or gas at this horizon. The well was drilled to the Dundee, which was struck at about 2900 feet. At 2935 feet, there was a show of oil, Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 45 of 49 but the largest was between 2945 and 2955 feet. The formations to the east of Saginaw evidently pitches drilling was stopped at 3080 feet, after striking brine, toward the north and becomes a pronounced syncline, in which was plugged off and the well shot with 120 quarts the vicinity of Bay City since the Berea drops from a of nitro-glycerin. The first pumping is said to have depth of 1850 feet in the Watson well to 2035 feet in the yielded some 50 barrels of high grade oil, and then the Mundy-Fifield well, and 2100 feet in the South Bay City production rapidly fell off to about 2 or 3 barrels per day. well, and similarly the Dundee from 2928 feet to 3130 Later this well, like the Gary-Casamer, was pumped but and 3270 feet respectively. intermittently. Green Point Well. The Green Point well or well No. 6, Cresswell Well. A fourth well was drilled about 1200 also known as the Globe-Blaisdell, is located on the feet south of east from the Garey-Casamer No. 1, at the Globe-Blaisdell property nearly opposite the East east end of Bristol street bridge on the Cresswell Saginaw waterworks plant, on the N. W. ¼ of section 2, property. The formations were found to be as in the T. 11 N., R. 4 E. This well is situated about 2¼ miles Jackson-Church and Garey-Casamer wells, at south southwest from the Garey-Casamer. All of the approximately the same depth. In the Cresswell well, a formations were found to be from 110 to 135 feet, showing of oil was struck in the “Saginaw sand” of the deeper than in the Bristol street bridge wells, the Traverse, another about 100 feet lower, and a third Napoleon occurring at 720 feet, the Berea at 1965, the toward the base of the formation. The oils from the Saginaw "sand" at 2450, and the Dundee at 3012 feet. second and third horizons were dark and heavy and of No signs of oil or gas were noted, but the Dundee, which much lower grade. None of these showings were was penetrated 240 feet, yielded an abundance of brine deemed worth testing and the well was deepened to near the bottom of the well. 3060 feet, the Dundee being struck at 2886 feet and a showing of oil found about 2942 feet. The oil is high Lawndale Well. The Lawndale, or well No. 7, was grade, being similar to that found in the Jackson-Church drilled near Lawndale on the L. Reincke farm in the N. E. well. corner of section 5, T. 12 N., R. 4 E., about six miles northwest of the Garey-Casamer well, and at about two Watson Well. The Watson well, or No. 5, 3068 feet or three miles west of the axis of the anticline. All of the deep, was drilled on the Watson farm near S. E. corner formations were struck from 185 to 260 feet deeper than of S. W. ¼ of section 17, T. 12 N., R. 5 E., Buena Vista in Saginaw, showing a dip of from 40 to 60 feet per mile township, about a half mile east of the city near the to the northwest from the Garey-Casamer. The Dundee intersection of the highway and the new electric railway was penetrated 112 feet without showing a sign of either from Saginaw to Bay City. There was a small show of oil or gas. gas in the Berea, but no sign of either oil or gas was The Green Point and the Lawndale, together with the reported in the Traverse. Oil was struck in the Dundee, Saginaw Plate Glass Co. wells in West Saginaw, show but in such small quantity that, after standing six days, that the strata from northern and northwestern Saginaw there was only a few quarts of oil in the well and about dip rapidly to the southwest and west, proving the 180 feet of water. The well, which was abandoned correctness of the earlier conclusions that there is an without shooting was plugged to protect the Marshall anticlinal arch at Saginaw. Unfortunately, the wells are brines from contamination, and also to prevent leakage so located that they do not indicate its precise direction of gas which escaped in a considerable though not or probable extent. In fact, it is not positively known that commercially important quantity from the Berea. Strong it extends continuously northward toward Kawkawlin. brine from the Berea constantly flowed over the top of the casing in small stream. Garey-Casamer No. 2 Well. Since all the wells The Upper Marshall, or Napoleon, was struck at 600 located at some distance from the anticline gave little or feet, or slightly higher than in the Bristol street bridge no sign of oil and gas and the wells near or on it yielded drillings. The Berea was struck at 1835 feet, or both, the company decided to locate the next wells as practically at the same depth, and the Dundee at 2928 near the axis of the anticline as possible, but farther to feet or about 28 feet deeper. Apparently the structure at the north. Garey-Casamer No. 2 well was drilled 500 Saginaw is that of a structural bench or terrace for the feet north and east from the Garey-Casamer No. 1 to upper formations, and an asymmetrical anticline for the test out the extent of the Saginaw sand in that direction, lower, the western limb being very much steeper than the sand having pinched out 600 feet to the southwest in the eastern which dips but 28 feet from the Jackson- the Jackson-Church well. The formations were found to Church to the Watson well, a distance of 2½ miles. be practically at the same depth as in the other Bristol From the Watson well east to the C. W. McClure well, street bridge drillings, but the Saginaw "sand" in the No. 3000 feet in depth, near Gera in section 8, Frankenmuth 2 well proved to be hard gray cherty limestone, showing township, the strata seem to be nearly flat, since not the slightest sign of oil or gas. corresponding formations were reported to be at The drilling was continued to the Dundee, which was practically the same depths and very similar in character struck at 2885 feet and yielded a small flow of oil, but as in Saginaw. Farther east, the strata must rise, as at after standing several days the well was tested with the Reese, the Napoleon is less than 500 feet from the bailer and it proved to be less promising than either the surface. The broad flat depression in the lower Jackson-Church or the Cresswell wells. Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 46 of 49 Mershon Well. Some of the records of the old salt A comparison of the records (Fig. 12) shows that the wells in northeastern Saginaw give the depth to the formations are remarkably regular in character and bottom of the "salt," that is to the red horizon marking the thickness. This is so true that, given the top of the base of the Upper Marshall. After the first few wells had Napoleon, the depths at which the Berea, Traverse, and been completed by the Saginaw Development Company Dundee should be struck can be calculated very closely. and the average thickness of this formation determined, The error in calculating the depth of the Dundee in the it was possible to calculate the depth at which the top of Jackson-Church and the Green Point wells proved to be the Upper Marshall should be struck in northeastern less than 10 feet. From a comparison of the records of Saginaw. According to calculations, the top of the the Braun (Mt. Pleasant No. 2), Gladwin, Bay City, and formation should be struck from about 605 to 615 feet Saginaw wells, this uniformity in character and thickness below the surface in this part of Saginaw, or practically of the formations seems to prevail over most of the the same as in the Bristol street wells. It was also central basin. The only formation which changes reported that one of the brine wells of Eastman & Co. markedly is the Berea sandstone, which disappears was only 585 feet deep. This data indicated that the toward the west side of the Basin, or is represented by crest of the supposed anticline was slightly to the east of red or sandy shales. Apparently, the Antrim shale grows the Wylie well, and upon this supposition the next, or No. thicker as the Berea thins and it has more or less white 9, well was located near Saginaw river on the Mershon or blue shale near the top. The thickness of the black property about two miles north of the Bristol street wells shale series from the top of the Sunbury (base of and about 1000 feet north of the Pere Marquette railroad Coldwater) to the base of the Antrim is very uniform in all bridge. of the wells in the Central Basin. The top of the salt formation was struck at 600 feet, or slightly higher than in the Garey-Casamer wells. The well was drilled to the Dundee, but no noteworthy amount of oil or gas was found at any horizon. Ring Well. The Ring or No. 10 well was drilled on the C. L. Ring property a few hundred feet north and west of the Garey-Casamer well No. 1 to determine whether or not the "Saginaw sand" extended in that direction. This, the last well to be drilled, was a dry hole and apparently proved that the so-called "Saginaw sand” is very limited in extent and porosity, and that it holds little promise of containing any considerable quantity of oil and gas. The almost absolute failure of these last wells, together with the great outlay of money already made, caused the company to abandon further exploration and to surrender their large lease holdings. It is to be regretted that more of the drill holes were not spaced along the supposed course of the anticlinal. Five of the ten wells drilled by the Saginaw Valley Development Co. were within a radius of 1200 feet, and three of the remaining five were at considerable distances from the supposed crest of the fold. In short, only about two miles of the anticline, apparently 25 or 30 miles long, has been tested, and this is not sufficient to determine whether the drillings are located in a sag or on a dome, if these secondary structures exist. Since oil and gas occurs in greatest abundance in the vicinity of the domes or cross arches it is possible that, had the explorations been made along the supposed axis of the anticline, oil and gas would have been found in greater quantity. Gera Well. Chas. W, McClure, a prominent stockholder in the Saginaw Development Company, drilled a well 3000 feet deep near Gera on one of his farms, section 8, Figure 12. Sections of deep borings in Saginaw Valley. Frankenmuth township. According to the driller, the formations were encountered at about the same depths as in Saginaw and the well was "absolutely dry." The THE OIL HORIZONS Marshall yielded such a strong artesian flow of brine, The Berea. From the date assembled before drilling that drilling operations were stopped for some time. began, it appeared that the Berea was the most

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 47 of 49 promising horizon to test for oil and gas. In the South well, four oil bearing horizons were struck. The other Bay City well there were strong signs just above this wells are located from about one-half to three or four horizon, and in the Blackmar well considerable gas was miles distant from the apparent crest of the anticline and encountered. A favorable structure seemed to be the yielded little or no oil and gas. The Watson, or No. 5, only condition lacking for an accumulation of commercial perhaps may be excepted as this well yielded size. It was a keen disappointment when the Berea considerable gas at the Berea horizon, but this well yielded no oil and only a small quantity of gas which, apparently is less than half a mile east of the axis of the however, increased considerably with time. In some anticline. Since the wells at some distance from the wells, the gas was not noticed for some time after the anticline have been so barren of encouraging results, it brine was cased off. The matter, though apparently very seems logical that future prospecting should be along strong, was also deficient in quantity, there rarely being the supposed axis of the structure. Oil may not be found a flow of much more than 25 barrels per day. In the in commercial quantity along its crest, but the chances Garey-Casamer No. 2, however, it was over 15 barrels are presumably greater in its immediate vicinity per hour. (especially near cross arches or domes, if they exist), than elsewhere. For some time, it was a puzzle why this formation did not consistently yield a greater abundance of brine, since it In this connection, it must be borne in mind that the was so thick and well represented. An examination of evidence pointing to the continuation of the anticline the samples showed that the Berea is a very fine and northward from Saginaw is not conclusive. Further close grained gray to white sandstone. In some phases, drilling may show that the indicated anticline west of the sand grains are too fine to be readily distinguished; Kawkawlin between Bay City and Midland may have no by the naked eye. It is this fine to exceedingly fine grain direct connection with the one at Saginaw. The local of the rock which not only limits the flow of brine but also structures in Saginaw Valley may be very different than that of gas. A heavy charge of nitroglycerine might is indicated. possibly increase the flow of gas greatly, but the head of brine probably would overcome it. Conclusions. In conclusion the following statements concerning the conditions for the occurrence of oil and The “Saginaw Sand.” The so-called "Saginaw sand" gas in Saginaw Valley appear to be warranted from the in Garey-Casamer No. 1 well appears to be a sandy or evidence afforded by the wells of the Saginaw Valley cherty limestone. There seems to be some doubt as to Development Company, and wells of earlier date. the exact nature of the oil horizon, but all of the samples (1) A pronounced anticline undoubtedly exists at examined by the writer proved to be limestone, Saginaw and appears to be continuous northward to a commonly cherty or sandy, effervescing very vigorously point a few miles west o Kawkawlin. (2) An equally in cold dilute acid and leaving a comparatively small marked syncline underlies the vicinity of Bay City. (3) residue of sand and chert. In any case, the productive The structure, as originally worked out by Dr. Lane, “sand” is thin and pinches out wholly to the southwest in appears to be essentially correct, though future drillings the Jackson-Church well, to the northeast in the Gary- may show that the structure at Kawkawlin is not Casamer No. 2, and to the northwest in the Ring well. In continuous with that at Saginaw. The evidence on this the Cresswell, or No. 4 well, this horizon is represented point is not conclusive. (4) The various formations are by two "sands"; that is, two cherty limestones separated remarkably uniform in character and structure. (5) There by a shaly layer. In the Watson well, there is a cherty or are at least three well represented and accessible oil or pyritous limestone filled with black micaceous particles gas formations, and five possible oil horizons, three from 2325 to 2359 feet, but it contained no oil. being in the Traverse. (6) All of the oil or gas formations The Dundee. The Dundee oil horizon appears to be contain oil or gas in small to considerable amounts, and about 35 feet below the top of the formation and is a light from a geological standpoint, these products should gray to buff and brown granular limestone, effervescing occur in greater quantity at some point or points (the violently with dilute hydrochloric acid. A fragment shot domes or cross arches) along the Saginaw anticlinal. (7) out of the Jackson-Church well is a gray granular porous The indicated anticline appears to be 25 or 30 miles in limestone, the pores being readily seen by the naked length. and therefore the half dozen drill holes on its eye. The oil horizon appears to be free from water but crest in the vicinity of Saginaw have tested only a small there is an abundance of water a short distance below it portion of the supposedly favorable territory. as shown in the Jackson-Church, the Watson, and the Green Point wells. CHARACTER AND COMPOSITION OF THE OILS. EXPLORATION. The "Saginaw" Oil. The oil from the Saginaw "sand" is Of the eleven deep wells in the Saginaw field, six (Nos. a very high grade paraffin oil, testing 47° Baume and 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 10), appear to be on the anticline and containing over 62 percent of naphtha and burning oil. four of these six, perhaps significantly, yielded oil and In color, it is light green by reflected light and deep red gas in considerable if not commercially important by transmitted light. The following analysis by the quantities at two different horizons. In the Cresswell

Publication 14, Geological Series 11 / Chapters 1-5– Page 48 of 49 Paragon Refining Company of Toledo, Ohio, is indicative of the excellent quality of the oil. Test of Petroleum from the "Saginaw sand” Garey- Casamer well No. 1: Gravity of crude 47° Baume. Naphtha 28.16% Burning oil 34.50% BOARD OF GEOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SURVEY, Intermediate 8.66% 1912. Wax distillate 22.80% EX OFFICIO:

Tar 3.23% THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE, Loss 2.65% HON. WOODBRIDGE N. FERRIS, President. Total 100.00% THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, HON. L. L. WRIGHT, Secretary. THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, The black heavy oils found lower down in the Traverse HON. WM. J. McKONE. were not tested. DIRECTOR, Dundee Oil. The oil from the Dundee is high grade, R. C. ALLEN. testing 36° Baume, considerably lower than that from the SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS. "Saginaw'" sand. The oil is green in color and has a distinct smell of sulphur. Preliminary tests show that it Geologists. -- Dr. L. L. Hubbard, Houghton; Prof. W. H. Hobbs, contains a considerable amount of this substance, but Ann Arbor; Prof. W. H. Sherzer, Ypsilanti. no complete analysis is available. Botanists. -- Prof. E. A. Bessey, East Lansing; Prof. F. C. Newcomb, Ann Arbor. Zoologists. -- Prof, W. B. Barrows, East Lansing; Prof. J. Reighard, Ann Arbor; Dr. Bryant Walker, Detroit.

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